Welcome to the WorLd of Death Note: Edited Version
by NightShadow170
Summary: IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE BEFORE CONTINUING TO CHAPTER 1. Best friends Jay and Olivia are transported to the world of Death Note...how will they change the story, or will they change it at all? Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. Rated T. Pairings later on.
1. Author's Note and, Where in the World?

**Author's Note**

**Please Read! EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT!**

**Hello, everyone! I am NightShadow17, the author of Welcome to the WorLd of Death Note.I started the fanfic several years ago, and…well…stuff happened…and…I ended up not logging on for quite some time, and…I forgot my login information. Stupid, I know, but it happened.**

**However, I recently became motivated to continue my fanfic, so I made a separate account, since the FanFic help service won't respond to my emails.**

**This is the edited version of Welcome to the WorLd of Death Note. All updates will come to the NightShadow170 account. Please consider the NightShadow17 account dead. If you know anyone who may be waiting for updates from the NightShadow17 account, please let them know about this development. I will be sending PMs to anyone who commented on the first draft to let them know, but it may be a good idea for you to let them know anyway, since many people read but do not comment. Spread the word!**

**If you are a new reader, then welcome! If you want to read this fanfic, you can start here, as I will be editing from the very beginning of my story. However, if you want to check out the first draft, then you can find it on the NightShadow17 page, or under the NightShadow170 Favorite Stories section in the profile.**

**If you are a returning reader, then welcome back! Just so you know…the basic storyline and many of the lines and descriptions will not change from the original draft. I am basically focusing on bettering my writing and adding some small scenes here and there. Remember, it's an edited version, not a rewrite. If you haven't read it in a while, it's probably a good idea to start from the beginning, but you don't have to- not that much will change, especially in later chapters where my writing is better (but I will be adding new things to the climax, so you might want to review there). And…I don't blame you if you gave up on me. Don't worry. I completely understand. After all, it has been a couple years…**

**Thanks for understanding!**

**NightShadow17**

* * *

_All right…finally here. _I walked up the short garden path, stepping lightly onto the welcome mat in front of the door. Shifting my backpack from one shoulder to the other, I pressed the doorbell, hearing the familiar _ding _echo inside the house.

"Hey, Jay!"

I looked up to see my best friend Olivia sticking her head out from one of the upstairs windows.

"You can come on in," she explained. "I'm just grabbing something from upstairs."

"Okay," I called back. I reached for the door handle and let myself in, slipping my shoes off in the entrance hallway.

As I waited by the bottom of the staircase, I heard a sudden loud _bang _from upstairs.

"Olivia? Is everything all right?" I peeked up the staircase.

"_Near! Get back here, you little-_" Another loud _crash _made the floor vibrate beneath my feet. I quickly dropped my backpack, sliding my shoes to the side. _What the heck is she doing?! _

"Olivia?" I called again, hurrying up the stairs.

"_My CD's!_" She shrieked. "And I had those alphabetized! You'll pay for this, you albino runt!"

I hovered outside Olivia's bedroom, wincing at the various destructive noises, before knocking on the door.

"One second! _Aha! _Gotcha, you little rat!" The door opened, revealing Olivia, disheveled and slightly out of breath.

"Oh, hi," she panted. "I'm all set up downstairs, I just have to put Near back in his cage."

"What did he do _this _time?" I asked, trying not to smile.

"He was chewing on my sheets, the little rodent."  
"I wonder why he would do that? You always keep him so well fed…" I trailed off as a blush spread across Olivia's face.

"You forgot to feed him this morning, didn't you?" I chuckled, straightening my glasses as her blush intensified.

"Maybe…" she muttered, not meeting my eyes.

"_Someone _was thinking about Aaron from math class again…"

"Shut up!" Olivia's face was now so red that it almost matched her hair. "It won't happen again…will it, Near?" she asked, addressing the white-furred rat clenched firmly in her fist. The rat squeaked, dipping its head down and closing its eyes as if in shame.

"I swear, he understands you sometimes." I shook my head.

"Well, rats are supposed to be smart, right?" Olivia laughed. "I'll catch up with you in a 'sec…"

As I headed for the basement, I grabbed my backpack and sleeping bag from the floor, brushing a small piece of dirt from the backpack's base. Once I got downstairs, I dragged my sleeping bag out of its case, setting it on the couch opposite from Olivia's. A manga novel slipped out of the bag, landing on the sheets with a _plop_. I picked it up, immediately recognizing the cover.

"Death Note, Number Thirteen! I've been looking everywhere for this!" I muttered, hugging the novel to my chest. I placed the book in my backpack with the rest of the series, zipping the bag closed. _Finally…my collection is complete again! I was worried I would have to go out and buy another copy…_

Olivia came pounding down the stairs, Near on her shoulder, her flaming hair back in its usual headband.

"I brought popcorn!" she called, plunking the bowl down on my sleeping bag.

"…What about root beer?" I asked.

"Huh? What root beer?"

"You always bring me a root beer when you bring down the popcorn."

"Wha-at?" Olivia put on a fake expression of surprise. "Since when do you like root beer?"

"Oh, come on. Stop messing with me, Olivia. I know you have it," I said, eyeing a hand hiding behind her back.

"Hmm…fine," she laughed, bringing out the can and tossing it to me. "Have your root beer."

I popped the tab and took a deep swallow. "Aahh…much better…"

Olivia chuckled. "You really are addicted, aren't you? It's like Ryuk, only it's not apples, it's root beer."

I took another sip. "And you'd better keep giving me a fresh supply, or I might start getting withdrawal symptoms…like doing handstands…"

"And your body getting all twisted," Olivia laughed, finishing the quote.

"M-hm…hey, weren't you gonna put Near in his cage?"

Olivia shrugged. "I was, but…I don't want him to be alone up there all night. And I'm running out of puzzle pieces for him to chew…so, should we get started?" Olivia asked, pulling a set of DVDs from a nearby shelf.

"Definitely," I grinned. Olivia popped a disk into the player, and I leaned against the back of the sofa with a sigh. The Death Note theme song started up, and Olivia unconsciously began to hum along.

"Olivia?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"…Oh. Sorry."

About halfway through the episode, the TV broke out into static, cutting off L's famous 'I am L' revelation to Light.

"Aww…"

"Come on…work, you stupid thing!" Olivia tried pushing several buttons on the player, but nothing happened.

I grabbed my backpack. "Well, we could always read the mangas-" I was cut off by a loud screech from Olivia. I looked up, startled, to see an impossible sight.

Olivia's hand was stuck inside the TV screen. And not 'stuck inside' like 'punched a hole in the screen'. It was as though her hand was _passing through _the screen, almost as if the screen wasn't there.

"What the hell?!" Olivia yanked repeatedly on her hand. "It won't come out!"

I quickly rushed to her side, pulling on her arm with all my strength. Her hand didn't move an inch.

"Gaahh…It's really…in there…" I panted, pulling even harder. "What…is going…on?!"

Near scurried to the top of Olivia's head, squeaking in agitation as he buried himself in her hair. Olivia and I kept pulling, leaning backwards with all our body weight. Without warning, a tremendous force yanked Olivia's arm out of my hands, and she was pulled completely into the TV screen.

"Olivia!" I only just managed to get a hold of one of Olivia's feet, but the strength of the tow was so intense that it pulled me into the screen along with her.

"Oof!" I grunted as I fell onto a hard surface, glasses flying off my face as I dropped Olivia's foot. I lay there for a minute, trying to get my breath back, the world a blurry mess of shading.

"Olivia, you okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine…" she groaned. Blind, I felt around on the ground, my fingers finally brushing the familiar spectacles. Beside me, Olivia got shakily to her feet, bare socks scuffed with dirt. Near, still buried inside her hair, poked his head out, nose twitching.

"Where…where are we?" I glanced around, surveying our surroundings with a keen eye. "It seems like some sort of …city alleyway…"

"Hang on…Jay…" Olivia hesitated. "What language are we speaking?"

"Engl…wait…" I froze, realizing something. I could completely understand what Olivia was saying, and I could talk to her in the same way, but…the sounds coming out of my mouth were definitely not English. But, I didn't even have to think about translating my words, it was just…instinct.

"I have no idea," I admitted, turning to face Olivia. As our eyes met, I noticed something…different about her. _But…that's impossible…_

"Jay…?" Olivia looked at me strangely.

"Olivia…you look like…you're twenty, or something…"

"But…so do you…" We both stared at each other in shock.

"How is this even possible?! You can't age _years _in just a few minutes!" Olivia stuttered.

"I…I know…" I hefted my backpack off the ground, matching Olivia's confusion. _Hang on…my backpack feels a lot lighter now…_

Curious, I opened the zipper, taking note of the contents of the bag.

"What?" Olivia asked, stepping closer.

"I used to have the entire Death Note manga series in here…but now most of them are gone, and there's some other stuff inside…"

"Death Note, Number Thirteen…I-pod…contact lenses…hotel card key…and…" Olivia pulled out a credit card, a mischievous look in her eye. "I wonder how much is on this thing?"

I snatched the card back, storing it safely in my backpack. "Hang on a sec! That's not even ours…" I slung the backpack over my shoulder, rising to my full height. "Let's find out where we are. And…" I glanced down at my feet. "…we need to find some shoes."

**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the rewrite of the first chapter! If you didn't read the Author's Note before this, then you really should, because it is EXTREMELY important. Seriously. Just give it a glance over. And, if you want to review…you can do that too….I love reading all your responses. **


	2. The Sign

As we walked, I saw that the alleyway opened up into a large open space dotted with buildings. I thought it was a park, at first. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a college campus, and a green one at that, with plenty of trees and grassy fields.

_**"It's so pretty here**_**,"** Olivia said next to me, a peaceful tone in her voice.

"I know. There's a sign over there, maybe it'll tell us where we are." I pointed. Olivia looked up at me in confusion.

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes, you did. You said, 'It's so pretty here'."

Olivia's eyes widened. "No…that's what I _thought_."

"What?" _There is no way…_

Olivia blinked. "I _heard_ that…"

_Seriously? You can hear what I'm thinking right now?_

_**Yes! Oh, this is so awesome! We're telepathic!**_

_Well, it appears that way…_I blinked, shaking my head in confusion.

_**THIS IS SO COOL! THIS IS SO COOL-**_

_OLIVIA!_ I yelled inside my head.

"Ow…" She winced. _**That was too loud!**_

_Sorry. Let's go check out that sign, okay?_ I thought, forcing myself to calm down.

_**Fine.**_

There was a large crowd gathered at the front of the college, where the sign was. The majority of the crowd seemed to be college-aged. Everyone was dressed fancily- the men wore suits; the girls, skirts.

_Olivia, I think we're in Asia,_ I thought at her. _Everyone here seems to be Asian._

_**You're probably right**__,_ Olivia thought back. _**They must have just gotten out of some kind of meeting, or something…**_

As we walked, Near scurried down from Olivia's head, taking his usual place on her shoulder. Olivia smiled, petting the rat and whispering soothingly to him. Once we got close enough to read the sign, Olivia suddenly stopped, eyes shining.

"What is it?" I asked, turning to face her.

_**The sign…**_Olivia's mind-voice trailed off. I quickly turned and read the sign. Even though it was in Asian characters, I could read and understand it instantly.

"To-Oh University…"_No way,_ I thought as I approached the sign. _It's not possible-_

My thoughts were cut off as I read the smaller print beneath the heading.

_Olivia…_

_**I know. To-Oh University! It actually exists in real life! And that means we're in Japan! And we're probably speaking Japanese too! Waah, this is awesome! **_

_No…Beneath that…"Congratulations to our freshman representatives_, Light Yagami _and_ Hideki Ryuga."

_**What? You mean…what?! **_

_This is not possible,_ I thought, stepping within arm's reach of the sign, feeling the cold mulch beneath my feet. _It's just…not possible…_ In a trance, I reached out my hand, touching the sign. My fingers met a solid, smooth surface, and I blinked in surprise.

_It's real…_

_**What did you think it was, a hologram? The important thing is, we're in the Death Note world! We have to be! Oh, you have got to be freaking kidding me! **_

_Either that, or someone's playing a major prank on us._ I glanced around, half-expecting people to run out with hidden cameras.

_**And how would they give us telepathy, hmmm? Or make us look like we're twenty? And what about us suddenly knowing how to speak Japanese? I'm telling you, this is not a prank. **_

_You're right…_I thought, turning away from the sign, and returning to Olivia. _Before we do anything else, let's see where the hotel is._

_**Hotel?**_

_We got a hotel card key, remember? It has the address of the hotel on it- let's find out where it is, _I thought at her, still a little skeptical about the whole situation. _We should just take our time with this…and find out what's going on without jumping to conclusions. _

Olivia nodded, sighing, and began walking in the opposite direction. I glanced at the crowd before turning away. All of a sudden, I stopped, a bemused expression on my face. Olivia paused along side me.

_**What?**_

Without saying anything, I turned back, my eyes franticly searching the crowd. Then I saw them. _Them. _They were standing next to each other, talking. Light was facing away from me, but I could see Ryuzaki's face well enough. And his eyes were focused directly on me. As I met his gaze, I knew, in that instant, that this was not some cosplayer or actor pretending to be L. This was, indeed, the real Ryuzaki. Any doubts that I might have had about the whole situation were wiped away in that instant.

Light must have noticed that Ryuzaki was staring at something, so he turned around, his eyes falling on me. Once again, I knew that this was the living, breathing Kira, and not a pretender. Olivia tried to turn around, to get another glimpse of what I was staring at, but I quickly grabbed her arm.

_Olivia! Don't!_ I thought at her as I broke eye contact with the duo, heart pounding.

_**What?**_ She asked as she followed me in the opposite direction.

_You're just going to make them suspicious!_

_**Make who suspicious?**_

_Just come on!_ I growled, turning onto a busy street. I pulled Olivia into the first café that I found, Near squeaking in protest at the bumpy ride. Once we were safely in a random booth, I breathed a sigh of relief, dumping my backpack next to me. Thankfully, the waitress who had seated us hadn't commented on our lack of footwear. _Maybe they don't have the 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' rule in Japan…or maybe she just didn't notice._

_**What is your problem?**_ Olivia thought at me.

"No. Talk to me; It'll look weird if we just sit here staring at each other," I muttered.

"Fine. Now will you tell me why we left in such a hurry?" Olivia whispered.

"I…I think you're right. I think…" I took a deep breath. "We're in the Death Note world. For real. I mean, seriously, I can't even think straight right now…" I let out a breathy laugh.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "And what's with the sudden change of heart?"

"I saw _them_."

"Who?"

"_Them!"_

"_Who?"_

"Light and L!" Olivia's eyes grew wide, becoming completely ecstatic. "And they saw me- I think I made them suspicious of us."

Just then, the waitress arrived with our orders.

"Let's see…one caramel sundae-"

"Here," Olivia said happily.

"And one root beer float."

"Thank you."

Once the waitress had left, I dug into the root beer float, the familiar taste calming my nerves.

"Mmm…better." I murmured, my racing heart slowing.

"You just had root beer at my house!" Olivia chastised.

"I didn't get to finish it! And, besides, I've just had a traumatic experience. I'm entitled."

"You call meeting an anime character traumatic?! Geez, I thought you were thrilled…I know I am! And I didn't even get a chance to really see them," Olivia complained. "But still…oh, my god…" Olivia let out a tiny squeal.

"Down, fangirl," I joked. "But, really, we need to control ourselves. If we see them again…"

The door to the café opened, and a very familiar silhouette slouched into the room. I immediately focused my attention on my root beer.

_Olivia, do not, I repeat, DO NOT turn around._ Olivia quickly busied herself with her caramel sundae, still fighting off a smile.

_**What?**_

_Somebody we know very well has entered the café._

_**Which one?**_

_The sweet-obsessed one._

_**Panda man? **_Olivia grinned.

_Yup. And he's coming this way._

**Author's Note: And the plot thickens! Please review!**


	3. Cafe

_**What should we do?**_ Olivia thought at me. L was slowly making his way to our table, his dark eyes locked on us. My mind raced wildly as I tried desperately not to make eye contact with him.

_Start talking!_

_**About what?**_

_I dunno…tell me the juiciest gossip from school, I don't care._

Olivia sighed. This was a topic she was good at. "Well, you know how Jake was going out with Amanda? It turns out that he dumped her over the weekend."

"Wait…What?" I snapped to attention, interest peaked. "They were inseparable, what happened?"

"Oh, that relationship was all one-sided. Apparently she was getting too clingy, if you know what I mean."

"Really? She doesn't seem like the type…"

"I know, right? Anyways, Jake's going out with Rachel now."

"Rachel? That hot-headed cheerleader?"

"Yup. Personally, I don't know what he sees in her…"

"Yeah…Jake always stuck me as the quiet type…Hey, you don't think he's doing it to make Amanda jealous, do you?" I asked, realizing something.

"Why would he do that? _He_ dumped _her_."

"Well, remember when Amanda and Mike were dating? Well, they were sneaking glances at each other in art class the other day. It's possible that Jake noticed, and…" I trailed off. L had seated himself in the booth behind Olivia, and was now absorbed in the menu.

_Just a heads up, L's sitting behind you._ I thought at Olivia. She stiffened.

_**Is he facing away from me or towards me?**_

_Away…why?_

Without answering, Olivia turned to stare at the back of L's head. After a few seconds, she turned back, a huge grin on her face.

_**It really is HIM, isn't it?**_ She thought at me, waggling her eyebrows.

_Oh yeah. Definitely. Now start talking again, L's going to get suspicious._

_**But…but…but…it's L! **_Olivia made a fangirlish face, which I couldn't help but echo.

_I KNOW! _ I forced myself to take a deep breath, and had another sip of root beer. _We can freak out later, but for now, we have to keep talking._

I suddenly realized that something very, very important was missing. I felt a weight settle in the pit of my stomach, and my fangirl excitement quickly evaporated.

"Hey, Olivia?" I muttered, my voice tense.

"What?"

"Leer's gone."

"What?"_**Who is Leer?**_

_Well, we can't call him Near with L listening in, can we?_

**_Oh, right. Wait,_what_? He's GONE?_**

"Well, he's not on your shoulder anymore!" I whispered.

"Oh, great. This is just _perfect_," Olivia growled, poking her head under the table. My eyes quickly swept the floor of the café, but there was no sign of Near anywhere.

"We have to find him! If any of the staff find him before we do…" Olivia trailed off, coming back out from under the table.

"I'll go check by the door." I muttered as I stood up. I walked quickly past L's booth, checking the floor on the opposite side of the aisle. I tried desperately not to think about the fact that L himself was probably watching me at that very moment… and that he had probably noticed that I was not wearing shoes. Successfully controlling my inner fangirl, I scanned the area in the front of the café. For a moment, I thought I had spotted Near, and stepped forward eagerly. However, upon closer inspection, the object was…_A napkin?_

_Damn it,_I thought as I headed back to the booth. _Olivia won't leave until we find Near, and if L truly suspects us, he won't leave until we're done. We could be trapped in this café with L for hours!_

_That might not be a bad thing…_the fangirl part of my mind put in.

_Shut up!_ I told myself. _If I'm just going to obsess over L, then-_

My thoughts were cut off as I spotted the rat. I stopped, eyes wide, taking in the scene. Near was sitting on L's table, happily nibbling at crumbs from a cake slice. Ryuzaki was watching the rat with mild interest, sipping infrequently from a cup that was surely filled with oversweet tea. He held the handle of the cup with his thumb and forefinger, a sight that made me let out a small smile.

"Excuse me," I said politely as I approached the table, my stomach rolling. _I'm actually talking to him!_ L looked up, his unblinking eyes fastening on mine. Behind him, Olivia swiveled around in her seat, her eyes wide.

"Uhm…that's my friend's rat." _Oh, nice one, Jay. Really smart._

"I know. I heard your conversation earlier," Ryuzaki stated. _Oh my god, his voice sounds exactly like it does in the anime…_

"Well, then why didn't you say something?" Olivia growled. "We didn't know where he was- we were really worried!"

"My apologies. I had never seen a rat close up before, and I admit I was curious."

"Well, can we have him back, please?" Olivia asked, irritation plain in her voice. I was shocked at how rude she was being, especially since she had been fangirling over him a few minutes ago. Apparently, L was as well, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he merely nodded, and I quickly grabbed the rat off the table.

"Sorry," I mumbled as I reached across the table. "She gets kinda intense sometimes."

"It was no trouble," L replied.

"What is your problem?" I hissed at Olivia as I sat back down. She shrugged, taking Near gently from my hand and ignoring my question.

After we had paid, and left the café, Olivia turned on me.

_**Okay, look. I'm sorry for how I acted in there, but I needed to draw attention away from you!**_

_Away from_me_? What are you talking about?_

_**You were acting way too awkward! If L didn't suspect us before, he certainly does now.**_

_Oh, geez…I'm sorry, Olivia. I didn't realize…_

_**Well, it can't be helped now. Let's look for the hotel.**_

_All right. But think about this: Would you have done the same thing if it had been Near?_

…_**Probably. All right, I forgive you.**_

_Thanks. Let's stop and buy some shoes and clothes- we'll need them, and we're already in front of a store._

_**Fine.**_

**Author's Note: Don't forget to review! P.S. - No, I do not own root beer.**


	4. Cards

"Done," I announced, dangling my purchases in Olivia's face.

"No way," She laughed. "You were gone for, like, ten minutes!"

"It's just clothes, Olivia," I sighed, plopping myself down on a nearby bench and tying on my brand new pair of sneakers. It felt good to get some real shoes on again.

"Lemmie see those!" Olivia snatched the bag out of my hands, ruffling through the contents at lightning speed.

"Blue jeans and dark shirts?" She raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes at me. "What do you have against bright colors?"

"I don't have anything against them; I just don't like wearing them. Like, if I'm wearing a yellow shirt, I feel like I'm a walking banana, you know?"

"But bananas are really good," Olivia joked. I just looked at her, and she snorted, turning back to her shopping. "Well, get some skirts, at least!"

"No. I will never understand your obsession with skirts," I groaned, taking the bag back from my best friend.

"I dunno. I think they'd look pretty on you," Olivia said, pulling a long, flowery skirt off the rack.

"Well, I'd rather wear pants than skirts any day." I rolled my eyes as I settled down for the long wait. I had been shopping with Olivia before, and I knew that she was going to be a while.

_"Attention shoppers,"_ a voice announced over the loudspeaker system. _"All shoes are twenty percent off-"_ Olivia squealed and dashed to the shoe section, accompanied by most of the other shoppers in the store. I sighed, shaking my head in bewilderment.

_Why do they get so worked up over shoes? I mean, they're_shoes._What's so exciting about them?_

Something scuttled up my leg, and I looked down to see Near making his way up my jeans, his claws catching at the threads. He clambered into my hand, looking up at me with intelligent eyes.

"What? Did she forget about you, too?" I cooed, placing Near on my shoulder. He chattered in my ear, as if to say, "I can't believe that she'd choose shoes over me."

I smiled, stroking Near's fur mindlessly. _You know, now I can understand how having a furry pet can be therapeutic. There's just something about petting an animal that calms you down. I'll have to get myself a dog or something when I get back…If I get back._

"Excuse me, miss," someone said next to me. Near quickly scurried out of sight. Startled, I looked up to see…

"Can I help you?" I asked, wariness plain in my voice, although I tried to hide it.

_Olivia!_ I thought. _You might want to check out right now._

"I'm afraid that you'll have to come with us," The man muttered as he flashed his badge, eyes darting around the store.

_**But why?**_Olivia's mind-voice was whiny. _**I just found this awesome pair of high heels-**_

_Screw the shoes; Mr. Yagami and Aizawa are trying to kidnap me!_

As Mr. Yagami escorted me outside, Aizawa turned to go back.

"I'll get her friend," He muttered, and Mr. Yagami nodded.

"Hey, wait! Leave Olivia alone!" I called nervously, but Aizawa kept walking. Mr. Yagami tightened his grip on my arm.

_Olivia! Aizawa's coming back for you; get out of there!_

_**But what about you?**_

_I'll be fine, just go!_

_**Fine- oh crap. Near's gone!**_

_He's with me. Now go!_

I was shoved into the back of a police car, the door slamming shut behind me. Near squeaked in distress and buried himself in my ponytail.

"Ow!" I hissed as his sharp claws scraped my scalp.

"Is something the matter?" Mr. Yagami asked from the driver's seat.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that."

"Can you at least tell me why I've been arrested?"

Mr. Yagami sighed, and opened his mouth, but closed it again as Aizawa poked his head in the window.

"The other one's gone, and she took the backpack with her." He muttered.

_Thank god,_I breathed.

Aizawa opened up the back door, pulling a dirty rag from his pocket. He quickly forced the rag against my mouth, cutting off my squeak of surprise.

"Umnph!" I tried to push his hand away, but a cloying scent filled my nostrils, making my strength fade.

_Chloroform,_ I realized. With a sigh, I slumped over in the seat, my eyes drifting closed.

**Olivia's POV**

Olivia dashed through the busy streets, hugging Jay's backpack close to her chest. _I'll find a way to help Jay later; now, I've just got to keep on going._As she passed in front of a hotel, she spotted a large duffel bag lying on the ground next to some other luggage. Thinking quickly, Olivia sped over to the duffel, unzipping it and tossing the contents behind some nearby bushes. She snuggled into the bag, zipping it closed behind her.

_Now, all I have to do is wait. Someone's bound to pick up this bag eventually, and when they do, I'll be on the express route out of here._

Olivia stiffened as the bag was hefted off the ground. She could feel someone carrying her in their arms, and she tried desperately not to move.

"Uff, this thing's heavy!" Someone grunted.

_Watch your mouth, big shot,_Olivia thought, insulted. Suddenly, she became weightless as the duffel was tossed into the back of a vehicle. As the bag fell to the bottom of the trunk, Olivia's head banged against the hard surface.

"Ow…" Olivia moaned softly, and her vision turned to darkness.

**Jay's POV**

"Uuhh." I moaned as I came to, my eyes blinking wearily. I heard Near chatter softly from behind my ponytail as I raised my head up. _Where am I?_I thought_. What-?_ As a shadowy cell swam into focus, I remembered all of the events that had happened over the past few hours.

_Right…I'm in the Death Note world…Aizawa and Mr. Yagami must have brought me here,_ _but,_I wondered, _where is here?_

I realized that I was lying on my side on the floor of the cell. I maneuvered myself into a sitting position, an awkward feat since my hands were restrained behind my back. I grunted as my muscles complained with waves of soreness. _I must've been out for a few hours, otherwise I wouldn't be so sore, _I realized.

Once I had gotten myself into a better position, I observed my surroundings with more detail. _Well, isn't this cozy,_I thought sarcastically, noting the concrete floor, wire mattress, and metal bars. A few feet away, a single toilet stood right smack in the middle of the room. _No privacy, huh?_I grimaced. _This looks a heck of a lot like the cell that Light was imprisoned in. If that's the case, then there should be a camera right about…_I looked up, spotting the machine implanted outside the bars. _Bingo!_

"_Tell me your name."_A garbled voice issued from the camera's microphone. I jumped, startled by the sudden outburst of sound. When I realized whose voice it was, my eyes narrowed. I let out a slightly huffy breath.

"Before I tell you anything, I want to know why I'm here. The last time I checked, the police had to have a reason in order to arrest people. They couldn't just grab any random person off the streets!" I had to admit, I was pissed. I mean, I had barely talked to L, and here I was, already under lock and key! How bizarre is that? And I hadn't even done anything! _Maybe the credit card we had had been stolen, or something, and now they're going to blame me for credit card fraud. _

"_Your name,"_ L repeated, his voice slightly less patient. I paused for a few moments, wanting to make him squirm, before answering.

"It's Jay," I muttered.

"_Jay…"_

"Just Jay."

"_And do you know who I am?"_

I decided to play dumb. "Well, you're using the same voice filter as L, but you can't be him. I mean, what would L want with me? He's working on the Kira case, right? And I'm not a part of that at all…"

L was silent for a few moments, then launched into a monologue. _"Miss Jay, today you had a backpack with you, is that correct?"_

"Yeah, I-"

"_And yet, the two people who I sent to get you found no trace of it. It seems that your friend, (Olivia, wasn't it?), took it with her when she escaped."_

"Well, I-"

"_What was so important about that backpack? If it had been filled with ordinary things, she would have left the backpack behind, thinking only of getting away. And yet, she took it with her…Can you tell me why?"_

"Why are you interrogating me about a backpa-"

"_Miss Jay, I am the one asking the questions, not you. Now, can you answer the question or not?"_

I stayed silent for a minute, put off at being interrupted so many times. _He's tense about something,_I noticed, a wave of uneasiness running through me. _But what could get the great detective L nervous?_

"I don't know why she'd take it with her-"

"_Earlier today, something fell out of your backpack, Miss Jay. Do you know what it was?"_

"No, but I have a feeling that you're gonna tell me."

"_It was a card. A card with a name and a face on it."_

I struggled to keep my face blank. "You arrested me because a card fell out of my backpack?" _Oh no…_

When L spoke again, it was in a low tone of voice, very calm, but I knew that he was barely holding himself together. This had truly frightened him, and I knew exactly why.

"…_What's important is, the man who was on the card had never told his real name to anyone. The name was known only to him, and to one other person. What I want to know is, why do you have this card, and more importantly, how did you get this man's name?"_

"Aw, shit!" I hissed, panicking.

"_What was that?"_

I looked into the camera, filling my face with resolve. "I said, that's bullshit! I never had any cards, playing or otherwise, in my backpack! All that was in there was a book, contacts, my i-pod, and some other stuff, but there were no cards!"

L remained silent, and I began to get uneasy. "Are you still there?"

"_Perhaps tomorrow you'll be more cooperative,"_L muttered, and I heard the microphone switch off.

_Shit!_I thought a string of profanities. _Olivia, where the hell are you? We've got a major problem on our hands!_

_**Huh? **_Olivia's mind-voice was sleepy. _**Whadja say?**_

_Olivia! Wake up, damn it!_I screamed at her.

_**Ow! Okay, I'm awake, I'm awake! What is your problem, Jay? I've never heard you swear like this before!**_

_Do you have the backpack?_ I thought, struggling to keep my mind-voice calm.

…**_Yeah, so?_**

_Open it, and take out the Death Note book._

_**Why?**_

_Just do it!_

_**Okay, okay, sheesh! Now, what do you want me to find?**_

_Look in the front. Is L's true name card still there?_

_**Why wouldn't it be- oh, no.**_

_Is it gone?_

…**_oh, crap. Yeah, it's gone. How did you know?_**

_L's been interrogating me about it._

_**Wait…L found the card?**_

_He saw it fall out of my backpack._

_**Out of all the people in Japan, he's the one to pick it up?**_

_It could be worse._

_**How? How could this have been any worse?**_

_Light could have picked up the card._

…**_Oh. That_is_worse._**

_Yeah. In a way, we're lucky that it was one of the good guys that found it. Even if he did lock me up in a cell._

_**Wait, L locked you up?**_

_Yeah, remember that scene with Light's imprisonment?_

_**Oh, so that's you right now?**_

_More or less. Near's hiding in my hair, but I don't know how long he'll stay there. Anyways, where are you?_

_**I…uh…I don't really know. Let me check.**_

_How can you not know where you are?_

_**I'm in a duffel bag, okay?**_

_A duffel bag?_

_**A duffel bag…at the airport.**_

_THE WHAT?_

…**_I think I was on a plane…_**

_YOU THINK?! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW!_

_**I was knocked out, okay? Geez…um, Jay?**_

_What._ I tried to keep my mind-voice calm.

_**I don't think I'm in Japan anymore…**_

I let out a sigh. …_This is just perfect._

**Author's Note: Chapter done! Ah, I just love the shenanigans of Jay and Olivia…**

**Please review (if you are so inclined). **


	5. Countryside

Olivia's POV

…_**This is just perfect, **_Jay groaned, anxiety plain in her voice.

_Hang on; I think I'm in America!_

_**America?**_

_Yeah, all the posters are in English!_

_**No freaking way…**_

_I'm outside now. The guy's setting me down, I'm gonna run for it!_

Olivia waited as she was set heavily on the ground, her carrier huffing and puffing.

"I've gotta sit down," the man gasped. As his footsteps receded, Olivia unzipped the duffel bag, climbing roughly to her feet.

"Ow," she muttered, taking a minute to stretch her tight muscles. Hoisting Jay's backpack onto her shoulder, Olivia set off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk, observing her surroundings with awe. She quickly left the airport, and began wandering aimlessly around the area.

_I don't recognize this city. I wonder where I am?_

_**Well, look at some signs. One of them's bound to tell you.**_

Olivia glanced around the skyline of the city, searching for billboards. Her eyes passed over a silhouette of a very familiar building. And it wasn't on a billboard.

_Uh…Jay?_

_**Yeah?**_

_I'm not in America…_

_**But you said all the signs were in English!**_

_Well, is Big Ben in America? Because I can see it from here!_

…**_oh!_**

_Heck, yeah! I'm in England! _A huge smile spread over Olivia's face, and she increased her speed as she entered a nearby shopping district. She paused at a nearby store window, peering in at the goods.

_Oh wow, English toffee!_Olivia suddenly noticed her reflection in the glass.

_Hey, Jay! I thought you said that I looked like I was twenty!_

_**You do, why?**_

_Well, I look the same as I always do._

_**Wait, you look like you're a teenager again? Huh. That's weird.**_

_Forget about that, I'm in England! Oh, I've always wanted to go here! _Olivia grinned excitedly.

_**Well, have fun,**_Jay muttered in Olivia's head. _**I'll just sit here, in my cell, and wait for L to come and freak out at me…**_

_I wonder if I can find Whammy's House?_

**_So that you can meet Near? Take my advice. Don't meet your favorite character, or even talk to them. Don't even_look _at them. Otherwise, they will_lock you up in a cell!**

_Okay, I know that meeting L hasn't been all that fruitful for you, but that doesn't mean that I can't meet Near! You got to meet_your_favorite character; now it's my turn, _Olivia thought, irritated.

_**You can't meet him unless you can find him.**_

_Which is why I'm going to get on the next double-decker bus and get the hell out of London. Whammy's House is supposed to be in the countryside, not the city._

_**Or…you could look it up in a phonebook.**_

…_Do they even have those in England?_

_**Of course they do! At least, I think so**__…_Jay trailed off. _**They should…maybe you should check a phone box. **__**Look, if you do find Whammy's House, you cannot make them suspicious of you! Especially Near.**_

_Why Near?_

_**Because he's your favorite character, and you're bound to slip up more around him than anyone else. And because he's sneaky.**_

_Hey! _Olivia frowned.

**_Well, he is! Oh, and you might want to buy some chocolate for Mello. You_ _know, as a peace offering._**

_I guess…Oh, this is so freaking cool! Hey, I might go and see Stonehenge while I'm at it!_

…_**Well, good luck. **_Jay's presence receded from Olivia's mind, leaving her feeling slightly abandoned. With a shrug, Olivia entered the toffee shop, her fingers curling around the credit card in her pocket. A few minutes later, she exited the shop, backpack filled with several bars of chocolate.

_Now, where to first?_Olivia thought, running her fingers through her hair. She missed the familiar weight of Near on her shoulder, and a pang of sadness flared up in her chest at the thought of him. _It's all right,_she told herself. _Near's safe, with Jay. She'll take good care of him._

With a sigh, Olivia set off, heading towards a nearby bridge. _There's something different about this place. I feel more at home here than I did in Japan. _Halfway across the bridge, she paused, glancing down at the river below her. Suddenly, it hit her. _Oh my god, it's the freaking Thames River! I'm actually here!_ Olivia smiled, watching the setting sun reflect off the water, turning it a twinkling gold.

After stopping at a few landmarks and taking pictures with Jay's I-pod, she was on the next bus out of the city.

As the scenery around her turned from city to countryside, Olivia stared fixedly out of the window, her eyes wide. _It's just like the pictures on the internet!_ _Oh, wow, it's so beautiful!_A sheep farm flew by, the animals roaming the open field for as far as the eye could see. Knee-high stone walls littered the grassland, the stones sloppily fitted together and pasted with rough mortar. Olivia loved every second of it, and couldn't stop smiling.

Soon, the sun went down, and Olivia's eyes began to get droopy. She slowly allowed her eyes to close. _This bus makes a full circuit; it should return to London in the next few hours. Until then, I guess it couldn't hurt to get some shut-eye_, she thought tiredly. Within a few minutes, she was snoring lightly.

The bus screeched to a halt, its doors wide open to let passengers disembark. Only one person left the vehicle- a tall, cloaked man with something in his arms. Upon closer inspection, the package he was carrying showed itself to be a sleeping girl, a teenager. She was fair-skinned and red-haired, wearing a skirt and clutching a backpack to her chest.

Olivia was being rocked. It was a soothing feeling; one that she barely remembered from being a toddler. However, she felt like something was wrong. _Hang on…the bus shouldn't be rocking…_Olivia's eyes snapped open. She took in the scene-_Who the heck is carrying me!?-_and began to panic.

Immediately, she screeched, twisting her body violently. The man, caught off guard, accidently dropped her. Landing on her feet, she immediately sprinted into the woods, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. _What the heck just happened?_Olivia could barely see in the dark forest, but she kept running, her instincts taking over as she passed through the trees.

As she ran through a small patch of greenery, Olivia took a quick glance behind her. The man was perusing her, and gaining fast. Olivia quickly picked up the pace, calling on all her years of cross-country and track.

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia glimpsed a large building looming out of the trees. She quickly changed direction, heading towards the structure, switching into her fastest "gear" of running as the forest thinned. The surface beneath her feet turned from grass and forest soil to gravel and concrete, giving Olivia an immediate burst of speed.

With one leap, she bounded up the short flight of stairs, wrenching open the front door of the church-like building and slamming it closed behind her. The lock clicked into place just as her pursuer slammed into the door. Ignoring the persistent pounding echoing through the cavernous hall, Olivia dashed behind the grand staircase opposite the door. She slid underneath the intricately carved marble, hugging her backpack closely to her chest as the pounding on the door grew louder. _Oh no, oh no, oh no!_

Olivia heard somebody open the door, and a female voice asked, "May I help you?"

"Yes…My daughter ran in here, is it all right if I look for her?" A man panted. Olivia tensed, her eyes wide in fear.

"I'm afraid that she ran out the back door, sir." The woman replied, a British accent plain in her voice. The man cursed, and then ran away, his footsteps crunching on the gravel. The door closed, and the lock turned. Slow footsteps approached Olivia's hiding place, and she held her breath, confident that they could hear it.

A young woman, face lit by a candle, crouched down next to the staircase, her long bathrobe skimming the marble floor. "It's all right. I sent him away," she said.

Olivia slowly unclenched her tight muscles, crawling slowly out from underneath the staircase. "Thank you," she breathed, closing her eyes in relief. "That man wasn't my father, I just fell asleep, and woke up, and he was there, and I ran, and he chased after me-" Olivia cut herself off. "I'm sorry; I'm rambling."

"It's quite understandable," the woman replied. "Is there someone we can call for you?"

"No. I don't really have a place to stay…"

"Well, you can stay here for the night, and I'll speak to Rodger in the morning about letting you stay long-term, if you wish to do so. I'm Lucy, by the way." The young woman introduced herself.

"I'm Olivia. Hang on…" Olivia paused. _Did she just say…Rodger?_

"Where am I?" She asked, a sneaking suspicion rising up in her chest.

"You're at Whammy's House. It's an orphanage for talented children."

_I knew it! _

**Author's Note: And there you have it! Don't forget to review! **


	6. Mello

Olivia's POV

"Dude, what are you _doing_?"

Olivia smiled in her sleep. She knew that voice, but it was impossible for it to be real. _I must still be dreaming,_Olivia thought, shifting slightly under the covers. The floorboards creaked as someone stepped near her bed.

"Man, she really is conked out, isn't she?" Another voice muttered, this one closer than the first. Olivia knew this voice too, better than the first one, and this only reinforced her belief that she was still asleep. _Hang on…If I'm dreaming…Then why can't I see anything?_

"Mello, get back here! You're gonna get us both in trouble! Lucy said that we needed to let her sleep in!"

"And she has, it's almost one, isn't it?"

"Whatever, man. I'm outta here."

Olivia heard Matt's footsteps receding down the hallway. _I must be blind in this dream,_she rationalized, snuggling deeper into her pillow and sighing softly.

_Wait a minute…this pillow smells funny…and it's too soft…Hang on, it's not my pillow!_Olivia was suddenly very much awake. She sat up violently, startling the blonde-haired boy sneaking across her room. He fell backwards onto the floor with a shout, knocking over a block tower and two toy cars in the process.

"What the _hell_are you doing in here?" Olivia shrieked, sliding out of bed, her baggy pajamas catching on the metal siding.

"Hey, take it easy." Mello staggered to his feet, wincing and massaging his rear. "I was just-"

"Don't give me excuses! What were you trying to do, steal my backpack?"

"Why, is something valuable in it?" Mello asked, eyeing the backpack greedily.

"No, but I have all of my worldly possessions in there, so keep your paws off," Olivia hissed, stepping defensively in front of the backpack.

"Okay, okay," Mello plopped down on the bed's crumpled sheets, pulling a chocolate bar out of the pocket of his leather jacket. "I'm Mello, by the way," he said, biting a piece off the chocolate.

"Ohmygosh, I knew it!" Olivia whispered, staring at Mello's chocolate bar in amazement.

"Hmm-wha?" Mello looked at her in confusion, his mouth filled with the candy.

"Never mind," Olivia said quickly. _I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! His favorite brand of chocolate IS Hershey's!_

"I'm Olivia," she stated, getting control of her inner fan-girl. "Now, what were you doing in here?"

"Well, I thought that you might want to get up, since it's almost one in the afternoon," Mello replied, taking another large bite of chocolate.

"There has to be another reason. I mean, most people don't just stroll into the room of someone that they've never met and try to wake them up."

"Well, technically, this isn't your room. It's Near's, and-"

"Wait." _I must have heard him wrong._"This is…Near's room?"

"Yeah. That little sheep keeps all his toys in here," Mello scowled, violently tearing the wrapper of the chocolate bar. "The ones that don't fit into his real bedroom, anyways."

_I'm…physically…inside…Near's…ROOM!_Olivia bent and picked up a single white puzzle piece off the floor, staring at it intently. _Near actually TOUCHED this puzzle piece!_She looked up to find Mello staring suspiciously at her.

"Are you all right?" He mumbled through the chocolate.

"Uh, yeah. I just…It reminded me of someone." Mello shrugged, turning back to his chocolate. Olivia's eyes narrowed.

"All right, get out."

"Wha-?" Mello looked up. Olivia rolled her eyes.

"I'd kind of like to get dressed," she stated, crossing her arms.

"So?" Mello grinned, taking another bite of chocolate.

"_Get out,"_Olivia growled, pushing Mello to his feet.

"Hey!" He protested as she shoved him out the door, locking it behind him.

Once Olivia and her backpack were safely inside the bathroom, door locked behind them, Olivia began to grin. _I can't believe that I actually met Mello! He seems so much happier than he was when he was older…I guess that's what the Mafia does to people._

With a sigh of contentment, Olivia stepped into the shower, rinsing away all the dirt and sweat from last night. _I wonder who that man was,_she mused as she rubbed shampoo into her flaming hair. _And what the heck did he want with me?_She shuddered as she considered several possibilities. _Well, with any luck, I won't see him again. I'm just lucky that I found Whammy's House before he caught up with me._

Olivia stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped around her as she began to brush her teeth. _This is a momentous occasion- It's the first time that I've brushed my teeth in Death Note world!_She smiled through the toothpaste, and then spat into the sink.

As she was brushing her hair, she noticed that there seemed to be a small rattling noise coming from the bathroom door. Curious, she stepped over to investigate, wrapping the towel more securely around her. Before she touched the door, it flew open, revealing Mello crouching near the ground with a lock pick in his hand. He looked up in shock. "I-uh-"

"MELLO!" Olivia screeched, grabbing the offender by the collar of his leather jacket. With all of her strength, she dragged him to the door and flung him towards the hallway. He staggered, but remained upright, grabbing on to the sides of the doorway for balance. Olivia, ears pounding with rage, kicked him in the chest, knocking him backwards into the hallway and leaving a wet footprint on the front of his shirt. He landed heavily on his side, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"Find your own damn bathroom!" Olivia shouted, stepping slightly out of the room in her rage. Ignoring the many heads poking out of the other doorways, she threw the hairbrush at the blonde, the wire bristles leaving small, bloody scratches on his arm. With a growl, she slammed the door behind her, locking it once again.

"Pervert!" She muttered, returning to the bathroom. _That juvenile delinquent… he's just as I expected,_ Olivia thought, smiling softly to herself.

**Author's Note: Hi! Don't worry; Jay will definitely be in the next one. I just wanted to focus a little on Olivia this time around…Reviewers get a hug from L!**

**L: …I never agreed to this…**

**Me: Well, you'll just have to put up with it. Because I know plenty of people will be reviewing, won't they? ;)**


	7. Near

Near's POV

He was walking down the corridor when it happened. Dressed in his usual attire of white pajamas, musingly twisting a lock of hair between his fingers, Near had just turned the corner when he heard the scream.

"MELLO!" The unfamiliar female voice screeched, the racket coming from inside his second bedroom. He immediately deduced that the voice belonged to the mysterious girl who had arrived in the middle of the night.

His hypothesis was proved correct as Mello was forcefully ejected from the bedroom, landing heavily on his side. Several yards away, Near could hear the air whoosh out of his lungs. A wet footprint glistened on the front of Mello's leather jacket. Several other Whammy's kids poked their heads out of their doors, puzzled expressions on their faces. Mildly startled, Near paused in his walk down the hallway, his hair still twisted around his finger.

A girl, a teenager, stepped briefly out of the room, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her. Her dripping wet hair was fiery red, as was her face. Her eyes, narrowed in ferocity, were focused only on Mello.

"Find your own damn bathroom!" She shouted, an American accent evident in her tone. She pitched a wire brush in Mello's general direction before stomping back into the room, slamming the door behind her.

Mello lay on the ground in shock, the scratches left behind by the bristles of the brush bleeding slightly. After a few moments of utter silence, Matt, who had been striding down the opposite side of the hallway, burst out laughing, almost dropping his Nintendo DS in the process. With the awkward silence broken, the other Whammy's kids retreated back into their rooms, some laughing along with Matt, others shaking their heads or rolling their eyes.

"It's not what you think, Matt," Mello groaned, his face red with embarrassment as he pulled himself to his feet. "I was just trying to get a peak inside her backpack-"

"Which was in her bathroom?" Matt grinned, turning back to his game and walking back down the hall.

"Yes, it was!" Mello protested, following Matt around the corner. The hallway was deserted again…except for Near.

The white-haired genius was standing, unmoving, near the wall; however, his mind was racing. _Intriguing,_he thought. _If Mello is telling the truth, then there must, indeed, be something important inside that backpack. Why else would she take it inside the bathroom with her? If there had been makeup or clothes inside the backpack, that she wanted to use inside the bathroom, she would have taken them into the bathroom with her, instead of bringing the whole bag in._

The girl's face, livid with anger, flashed in his mind. At the memory of her expression, Near's mouth twitched slightly in a rare revelation of emotion. He had to admit, he was somewhat curious about this girl. Ever since Mello had been introduced to Whammy's, no one, male or female, had ever managed to physically kick him out of a room, though some had tried.

_I wonder what other changes this girl will bring,_Near mused as he resumed his walk down the hallway, finger twisting a lock of hair.

Olivia's POV

As soon as she had put on some decent clothing, Olivia exited her room, hair still slightly damp. She was still fuming, but she knew that Mello had already been punished enough; there was no need for her to seek him out and pummel him, though she desperately wanted to.

She had left her backpack in her room, after thoroughly hiding its contents. She was confident that not even a genius (*cough*Mello*cough*) could find any of those items. After all, who would look beneath the floorboards under her bed?

As Olivia strode down the hallway, she caught the scent of a familiar smell. Following her nose, she soon came to an open doorway beyond which…

"Oh, wow!" Olivia muttered, stepping into the spacious room.

It was obviously a library, with wooden bookshelves covering every inch of the wall space. Two comfy-looking couches faced each other in the center of the antique rug, a low glass table between them. Beyond the couches, on the far wall, a large, empty fireplace gave the room a homey look. Two large double windows stood on either side of the fireplace, offering an excellent view into the surrounding countryside. Walking up to one of the shelves, Olivia pulled out a book, one of the Sherlock Holmes series. She leafed randomly through the pages, the familiar calming book-smell wafting through the room. Olivia sighed peacefully.

"Can I help you with something?" A soft voice asked. Olivia jumped, snapping the book shut, looking around wildly for the source of the voice. It seemed to be coming from behind one of the couches. Olivia warily walked across the room, holding the book protectively against her chest. Behind the couch sat a familiar white-haired boy dressed in pajamas. He never looked up from his blank puzzle as she approached.

"Oh! I…I'm sorry. Was I bothering you?" Olivia stuttered, feeling like a complete idiot as heat flooded her face. _Wow, now I really understand what Jay was going through when she met L,_she thought. Near didn't answer her right away, but continued to focus on his puzzle, keeping his eyes down. This gave Olivia the chance to compose herself- she quickly forced a somewhat neutral expression on her face, trying desperately to keep her fangirlish excitement locked up inside her.

As the last pieces of the puzzle were pushed into place, Olivia realized that the puzzle wasn't blank, after all. At least, it wasn't completely blank. A single black, old-English letter L had been printed in the top left corner. Olivia immediately recognized it- It was the same puzzle that Near had been working on in the anime, when Rodger had told him and Mello that L had died.

When the final piece of the puzzle had been set in place, Near admired his handiwork for a few seconds, then looked up at Olivia, his face blank. As his eyes met hers, there was a single moment in time when Olivia thought that her heart had stopped. But, in the next second, it beat again, and the moment was gone. Near turned back to his puzzle, and began to disassemble it piece by piece.

"No. You weren't," he murmured.

Jay's POV

The scent of food wafted through the cell bars, making my stomach rumble in anticipation. _Well, It's about time,_I thought, pushing my glasses into place with my shoulder. Watari (well, at least, I assumed it was Watari; he was wearing a stretchy, black mask, like a robber) approached my cell, a plate mounded with food in hand. He swiped a card through the automated locking system, and the door swung inward. I remained seated on the bed, not wanting to alarm him, seeing as he had a stun gun holstered on his belt.

Watari closed the cell door behind him, the lock clicking into place. He set the plate of food on the bed next to me, and then proceeded to unlock my handcuffs, pulling out his gun as the metallic restraints slid off my wrists. With a sigh of relief I pulled my arms in front of my body, massaging where the handcuffs had cut off circulation. I looked up to see Watari standing near the door, the stun gun pointed at me. Uncomfortable, I stretched my arms one more time, and then grabbed the plate of food.

Lying beneath the plate was a set of chopsticks. _Oh, great,_I thought, tentatively picking them up. _Now, how am I supposed to use these?_I thought back to every Chinese and Japanese restaurant that I had been to, calling up all my experience, which wasn't much. _Okay…I think you hold one stick with your thumb…and keep it solid. And…the top one…is the one you move…oh, great, I have no idea._

In the end, I just went with what felt right. It took me a few tries to actually get the food to my mouth, but in the end, I managed it.

Just as I was about to take my first bite of egg, I caught a glimpse of the gun out of the corner of my eye. I slowly looked over at it, eyeing it wearily.

"Ummm…do you mind putting that thing away?" I asked, motioning at the gun. Watari looked down at it, then back at me.

"I'm afraid I can't," Watari said, and his voice confirmed his identity. I quickly repressed my smile.

"Well, could you at least point it at the floor, or something?"

In response, Watari shifted the gun slightly away from me. I thanked him, feeling less uneasy.

Within minutes, the food was gone, and my stomach was no longer rumbling. I delicately placed the chopsticks on the side of the plate, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Suddenly, I felt scratching on my scalp, and Near scurried out from under my hair. He scuttled down to the plate, nibbling on the crumbs left behind from my meal.

"You had the rat with you, all this time?" Watari muttered to himself, astonished. I looked up at him, slowly stroking Near's fur, and shrugged.

After Near had stopped munching on the crumbs, Watari took a step forward, raising the gun. I quickly pulled Near off of the plate, and held him up in my hands.

"Could you take care of Leer for me?" I asked, remembering to use the fake name I had come up with. "He needs more food than just crumbs, and exercise, and water…" I trailed off. I realized that I was doing the right thing- It was what was best for Near. But the thought of giving up my only companion in this cell made my throat choke up a little. Watari took the rat, putting him on his shoulder.

"Of course," he said, his voice noticeably kind.

He locked my hands behind my back once again; my arms ached in protest as they were forced back into the position that they had been in for hours.

As Watari left the cell, I caught his attention, careful not to use his name.

"Um…Excuse me?" Watari turned back.

"Yes?" He asked.

"When you bring my lunch…could I have a glass of root beer with it?"

"Root beer?"

"Yeah."

"I'm afraid we only have water."

"What?" I was shocked. "You…don't have…root beer?"

"No, we don't." And with that, Watari strode out of sight.

"Are you _kidding_me?" I called after him, anxious.

My only answer was the slamming of a large, metallic door. I leaned back against the wall, eyes closing.

"No root beer…" I muttered. _Of course. L's trying to get me to confess, so he won't let me have root beer. This is going to be fun. Not._

A few hours later, L began to interrogate me again.

"I already told you, I didn't have any cards in my backpack!"

"_A witness saw it fall out, there's no use in lying."_

"I am not lying! Why are you getting so worked up about this, anyways?" I hissed, playing dumb again.

"_If Kira had gotten his hands on that card, he could have killed the man pictured there. That is why I am so 'worked up,' Miss Jay."_

I was sick of pretending. Even after less than a day, I was sick and tired of this game. _I just want to go home…_

_No. I know that L will release me eventually. All I have to do is survive for fifty days. I know that I can do this. I will do this!_

A small screen popped out of the side of the camera, the clicking noise startling me out of my thoughts. It crackled to life, showing an image of the bottom half of L's true name card, the part showing his face.

"_Do you recognize this man?"_L asked.

I pretended to think. "Yes…he was at the café. Nea-Leer managed to make his way onto the guy's table." I paused. "But why would Kira want to kill him? Is he important to the case in some way?"

"_He is working alongside L to capture Kira."_

"Alongside L? Then you must be L."

"_Why do you think so?"_

"Why else would you be so concerned about this? Who else would go to these extreme measures to keep me here?"

L paused, thinking. _"I can neither confirm nor deny your hypothesis."_

"All right then," I said, smiling. "If you won't tell me who you are, then I guess you won't mind if I call you L from now on."

"_You may call me whatever you wish; it doesn't matter to me. Now, did you know this man's name?"_

"No. He never told me," I said truthfully.

"_Then how did it get on your card?"_

"I didn't have any cards!"

"_It fell out of your backpack."_

"Says who?"

"_Says the witness."_

"Who is…?"

"_Who is someone I know very well and would never lie to me."_

_I see, L. You followed us out of the café, didn't you?_I thought. _A 'witness', indeed. _

"Was it the guy from the café?"

"_I can neither-"_

I cut him off. "Confirm nor deny that hypothesis, yeah. I know." I paused. "You know, if you don't tell me if my hypothesis is true or not, I'm just going to assume that it's true."

"_Why?"_

"Because you're avoiding the question."

"_I might just be trying to avoid giving prisoners information."_

"Avoid giving information to a prisoner whose only crime was supposedly to drop a card?"

"_Exactly."_

I sighed. "Fine then, L. Don't answer my questions. I won't answer yours."

**Author's Note: Yes! It's up! Don't forget to review- you'll get to hit the character of your choice with a water bottle! Hmm…or maybe one of those dunk machines would be better…*grins evilly* **

**Oh, and if any of you want to do fanart…feel free! Just make sure to PM me a link, or something so I can post it on my profile. After all, awesomeness should be shared, no? **


	8. Keys

Olivia's POV

Olivia bounced happily down the hallway, humming a little tune to herself. The bountiful golden sunlight poured through the windows, perfectly mirroring her mood, which only made her more cheerful. She had just left a meeting with Rodger and Lucy, who had told her that she would be allowed to stay at Wammy's House as long as she wished.

_I get to stay with Near! For as long as I want! I was kinda thinking that Rodger was gonna kick me out, 'cause he had this really serious expression…but I get to stay! Haha! This is awesome! _

Olivia turned the corner, heading in the direction of the Library. As she continued on, she walked past an open door on her left. She glanced inside, and then paused, staring into the room. _What…? _She looked around, but the corridor was deserted; all the Wammy's kids were still in classes. With a smile, Olivia entered the room, leaving the door ajar behind her.

The room itself was plain, with bare walls and high windows, but what had entranced Olivia was the large grand piano sitting in the center of the floor. She quietly approached it, running her hands over the smooth wooden siding and ivory keys. With a sigh, she sat down behind the piano, laying her fingers gently on the keys. As a test, she pressed down on one of the keys, and was rewarded with a soft _plink _from inside the main body of the piano. Olivia paused for a moment, then played a few more keys, hands automatically moving into the proper position.

_Hmm…I haven't played piano in a while…I wonder if I still remember…? _With a shrug, Olivia launched herself into a song, the familiar notes echoing through the cavernous space. Her fingers seemed to remember the notes, and moved almost by themselves as they pressed the keys. After a while, Olivia closed her eyes, enjoying the sound and precision of her playing.

_Hmm…this song…what was the name of it, again? I don't remember…Wait. _Olivia's eyes snapped open, fingers freezing on the keys. She could feel her heart pounding inside her throat; she guiltily snatched her hands off the piano, quickly standing and backing away. _I don't believe this! How could I have been so stupid?! Here I am, inside the actual Wammy's House, and I start playing Near's Theme on the piano?! Oh, god, I hope nobody heard…_

"Why did you stop?" Olivia started, spinning towards the door. _He_ was standing there, radiating calmness, almost as though the music had summoned him there. He was musingly twisting a single lock of hair around his finger, leaning slightly against the doorway as he stared at her, waiting for her response. Olivia stood there, speechless, for a second, trying to calm herself. _Hang on…none of the people in this world would know about the songs…to them, they're just random tunes…right? I mean, there's no way he would _know _that that's his Theme…_

"Olivia? Is something wrong?" Near took a step closer, tilting his head slightly to one side.

"Umm…no, I'm fine, I just…" Olivia stuttered, trying furiously to keep from blushing. "Sorry. I'm not used to people watching me play…and I'm not very good…"

"On the contrary, I thought your playing was rather acceptable," Near commented.

_Acceptable? _Olivia raised an eyebrow, then thought for a minute. "Well, considering I haven't played the piano for years and I taught myself that piece, I guess _acceptable_ is actually a compliment…"

"You bet it is," a second voice drawled. Mello swaggered into the room, hands behind his head as he munched on a chocolate bar. "That was one of the crappiest pieces of music I've ever heard. Why don't you play something better?"

"Mello…there's no need to be jealous," Near said smoothly.

"Wha- I'm not jealous!" Mello growled, snapping off a piece of chocolate in his mouth. "I just don't like that song she played! You got a problem with that, _Near_?"

"Okay, fine! You want me to play something different?" Olivia asked, irritated. "I'll play something different, then!"

And with that, she quickly hopped up on the bench and began playing Mello's Theme, allowing the notes to echo hauntingly through the room. She had only been playing for a few minutes before the reality of what she was doing caught up with her.

_Oh, geez…I'm playing Mello's Theme…to the _real_ Mello…_she quickly broke off, composing herself before throwing a look at the chocolate-lover.

"Uh…well…that wasn't bad…" Mello grumbled. "Better than the first one, anyway…"

Olivia's eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Near beat her to the punch.

"You were the one who asked her to play something different, Mello. You should be happy. Didn't you get what you wanted?"

"Shut up, Near!" Mello spun on his heel, gritting his teeth. "I'm sick of looking at you…" Disgruntled, he stalked out of the room, taking another bite of chocolate as he went. Olivia glanced at Near, who was simply standing there, calm as ever.

"I am sorry about that…Mello doesn't appreciate different types of music…"

Olivia sighed, playing a couple notes of Near's Theme again before getting up. "It's all right- it's not your fault," she shrugged.

"Hm. Well, lunch is starting soon; we should probably start heading down…"

"Oh, right!" Olivia followed Near from the room, heading for the mess hall. She couldn't help but take tiny glances at him from out of the corner of her eye; she struggled to keep a large smile from making its way onto her face.

_I'm walking next to Near…he's right there! Oh my god, he's literally right there! Gaah, this is awesome! And I got to play his Theme for him! _

"The piano…" Near looked at Olivia, oblivious to her fangirlish thoughts. "Will you play it again?"

Olivia blinked. "Oh…um, I'm not sure…maybe. Why?"

Near faced the front again. "I like to hear you play. That's all."

A hot blush spread across Olivia's cheeks. _He…likes my playing? That's what he said, right? He likes…my playing. _"Well…how about…the next time I feel like playing, I'll tell you, and you can watch…if you want…" She trailed off, inwardly completely ecstatic.

Near nodded. "I think that's acceptable."

It was all Olivia could do to keep herself from glomping Near right then and there.

L's POV

"_Fine then, L. Don't answer my questions, I won't answer yours."_

She certainly had stayed true to her word. From that point on, Jay kept her mouth shut whenever L had attempted to interrogate her. This childish game both infuriated him and raised his respect for her, although he never showed it.

As the days passed, Jay still refused to speak. L was starting to worry at this point, but he told himself to be patient. The girl would crack eventually; it was only a matter of time now. She had no contact with anyone, save himself and Watari, who brought her the meals. He had even denied her the luxury of her favorite drink. And yet…

_If anything, her resolve seems to be growing,_ he thought. He put a finger to his mouth as he watched the girl, now sleeping, on the monitor. She looked restless, her face twitching as she dreamed. _A nightmare, perhaps?_

Unconsciously, he reached for the card on his desk, turning it in his fingers. _I still can't figure out how this girl managed to uncover my secrets. No matter how hard I look, I can't find any breaches in my security…_He looked at the card, turning it over once more. Something on the back of the card caught his eye; lines of small, white print near the bottom.

He was surprised at himself; usually he would have caught a small detail like this immediately._I've been so preoccupied with the front of the card that I neglected to examine the back! _Furious with himself, he read the words with one sweep of his eyes. They were in English, which didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was what the words said:

_Death Note How To Read 13_

_Tsugumi Ohba/ Takeshi Obata_

_© 2006 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHEUEISHA Inc._

L's eyes grew wide. _Copyright 2006? What is this?_

Jay's POV

An insistent beeping noise woke me from my sleep. Furious, I immediately sat up, looking around blearily for the source of the noise. _If whatever's making that noise is in my cell, it won't exist in a few seconds._

I was disappointed to find that the beeping was coming from L's camera, which, unfortunately, was outside my cell. Which meant I couldn't crush it. With a groan, I flopped back down onto the mattress, glasses sliding down my nose.

"_Miss Jay,"_L began, but I interrupted.

"Look, L. Quit calling me Miss Jay, it sounds like I'm a teacher or something. Just drop the formalities, all right?" My voice was scratchy from lack of use; I had only spoken to say 'thank you' to Watari for bringing the meals.

I think L was surprised to hear me speak; he was silent for a few moments. I had almost drifted back off to sleep when he spoke again.

"_Do either of these names sound familiar to you: Tsugumi Ohba or Takeshi Obata? And have you ever heard of a corporation called Sheueisha?"_

I couldn't help it; my eyes flew open. _He must have found them on the back of the card,_I realized. I took a deep breath before answering.

"They sound somewhat familiar, but I can't remember where I heard them before."

"_Try."_

I waited a few seconds. "I can't remember."

L was silent for a few moments longer, and then sighed.

"_Where are you from, Jay-chan?"_

_Oh, so it's Jay-chan now?_I smiled, blinking blearily. "I was born in America."

I kept my answers purposefully vague, but I wasn't about to lie to him about personal matters; I would never be able to keep track of all the lies, plus I felt guilty about it.

"_And when were you born?"_

I was right about to tell him when I stopped myself. _You idiot! If you tell him the truth, then he's going to know that you're lying! Remember, you look like you're twenty; if you were born in 1994, then you'd be ten right now!_

"1983." I said, relieved that I caught myself in time. _Why is he asking me all of these personal questions? Is he beginning to suspect-_ Suddenly, it hit me. _He must have found the copyright date on the card!_

_Relax,_I told myself. _He probably thinks that the date is fake, but he wants to test it out, just in case. If I just stay calm, then-_

"_Jay-chan, you are not a very good liar."_I froze.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice unwavering. _I can't afford to show anxiety right now._

"_You hesitated when I asked you when you were born."_

"I'm just tired; it's hard for me to think when I'm tired. And whose fault is _that,_ hmm? Waking me up at god-knows-when, just to ask me about some names! Bloody insomniac," I grumbled. As you can see, I am _not_a morning person.

"_Actually, it's only seven-"_

"Well, _that_explains it! Why the hell would you get me up at such an unholy hour?"

"_I fail to see why-"_

"Look, L. I don't like getting up this early if I can help it. I prefer to sleep until nine, at least. _Seven!_" I groaned, burying my head into my pillow.

"_Jay-chan, it is seven in the evening, not in the morning."_

I raised my head slowly off the pillow, sure I must have heard him wrong. "What did you say?"

"_I said, it's seven in the evening. Your time in confinement has modified your sleeping schedule; you have been active at night and asleep during the day."_

I let that sink in for a few seconds. "So, in other words, I'm nocturnal now?"

"_I suppose one could put it that way…"_

I shrugged. "Well, I've always been a night owl, anyways…L, how long have I been in here?"

"_It has been approximately three and a half weeks since your confinement began."_

"…Are you kidding me?" _Three and a half weeks! Already?_

"_No, I am not kidding. Your confinement began on May 27th, and it is now June 21st."_

_June 21st…July 23rd is when Light and Misa are released. If I assume that I will be released along with them…then I have…about four and a half weeks left._

"I'm going back to sleep," I muttered, closing my eyes. There was a pause, then,

"_Very well,"_L replied, and I heard the click of the microphone turning off.

I had no intention of going back to sleep. If it truly had been three and a half weeks, then I was way overdue for a chat with Olivia. _Strange…It seems as if I talked with her only a few days ago…_

_Olivia?_I called in my head. _Are you there?_

_**Jay! **_Olivia screeched happily. _**It's about time you talked to me! How's it going?**_

_Well, aside from being locked in a cell for 24 hours a day without root beer, I'm pretty good._

_**Whoa, wait. No root beer?**_

_Yeah. L's trying to get a confession out of me, so…no root beer._

_**Oh, you poor thing.**_Olivia's mind-voice was sarcastic.

_Shut up,_I laughed. _Anyways, how's your search for Whammy's going?_

_**Huh? Oh, I found it, all right.**_

_You did?_

_**Yup. I was on a bus, and I fell asleep, and this random guy carried me off the bus-**_

_Wait. What?_

_**-and I woke up, and ran away, and I found Whammy's house and hid there until he was gone, and they're letting me stay here!**_

…_oh, wow…you've been busy…_

_**Yeah! The first morning that I was here, Mello tried to sneak a peek at me in the shower-**_

_That little pervert! That is so like him; I hope you taught him a lesson-_

_**Oh, I did. He won't be sneaking into anyone's shower anytime soon.**_

_What did you do to him?_

_**I kicked him out into the hallway. And threw a hairbrush at him.**_

_Nice._

_**And it felt great, too!**_

_I bet it did. I wish I could have seen that._

_**I wish you could have seen it.**_

_Ah, well. Watari's taking care of Near for me._

…**_Well, I suppose it's for the best. I trust Watari; I'm sure he'll take good care of him._**

_So, have you met Near yet?_

_**Yeah…**_Olivia's mind voice was sheepish.

_How did it go?_ I asked, already knowing the answer.

_**Pretty much the same as your meeting with L. I acted like a total idiot.**_

_See? It's not that easy to act normal when you come face-to-face with your favorite anime character._

_**Well, it's gotten better. We actually have normal conversations now.**_

_What?_

_**Well, everyone likes to go outside when class is over, but I don't want to go out there. I'm afraid that that guy who was chasing me is going to come back. And Near prefers to stay inside, too, so we keep each other company. I even play the piano for him, sometimes. **_

_Aww! That's so adorable!_

_**What?!**_

_You're getting close with Near! I thought that this might happen!_

_**Shut up! **_I could _hear _the blush spreading across her face. _**It's not like that; we're just friends!**_

…_Of course you are…Well, I'm glad you're not in the same position I am. It would really suck if _both _of us were being held captive. _

_**You make it sound like you're not having fun.**_

I barely kept myself from snorting out loud. _Fun? I'm locked up in a cell! And most of the time I'm just sitting there, trying to pass the time! _

_**What about when you're talking to L?**_

_Well…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't…at least…a little happy…but I'd be happier if he'd let me out and talk to me in the task force building, or something…_

**_See? You _are _having fun! How could you not be, spending time with your favorite anime character? _**

_First of all, we're not actually spending time together. We're not even in the same room._

_**Well, you're talking, aren't you?**_

_Yeah, but not much. He kept asking me the same questions over and over, as if my answer would be any different than the first time. So I just stopped talking for a while._

_**Well, what do you expect? He's interrogating you!**_

_I know, but it gets really repetitive after a while…plus I keep wanting to ask him questions about topics I'm not supposed to know about, and it's easier to keep from asking them when I'm already not talking…_

_**But he's still watching you 24/7…**_

…_Thanks. That made me feel _so _much better._ I could feel my face getting warm.

…**_when you're sleeping…_**

_Olivia…_

…**_and eating…_**

_Seriously…_

…**_and-_**

_OLIVIA!_

_**What?**_

_Not helping._

_**Oh. Sorry.**_

_L found the copyright date on the back of the card. Plus the names of the author and illustrator, and the publishing company. I think he's planning something, but I can't figure out what it is. Anyways, I should get out of this cage about four and a half weeks from now._

_And when I do…The first thing I'll do is get some root beer._

**Author's Note: So…what are you guys thinking so far? Are you enjoying it? I know I definitely am- it's really fun to come back to this after so long! **

**Review and tell me what you think! **


	9. Steps

Olivia's POV

The sunlight was bright. Although the weatherman had promised rain that afternoon, there was not a cloud in the sky by the time the Whammy's kids ended their lessons. Mello and Matt immediately sat beneath their usual tree, resting in the cool shade it offered. Matt, as usual, was playing his Nintendo DS, occasionally shouting at it in frustration. Mello, on the other hand, simply munched at his Hershey's chocolate bar, his eyes fixated on the horizon…whenever he wasn't tormenting some of the other kids.

By the stairs near the entrance, Olivia took her first, hesitant steps out of Whammy's. This was the first time that she had been outside since her arrival, and it had taken her all day to work up the courage to do it. She had announced her plans to Near only a few minutes ago. He had looked up, and stared at her, face expressionless, as always.

"Fine," he had muttered, turning back to his puzzle, this one solid black. "I'm not going to stop you."

"Near," Olivia sighed, plopping herself down next to him. "I'm not saying that I'm going to be spending all my time outside now. I'm not trying to get away from you."

Near kept working on his puzzle, giving no indication that he'd heard her speech. Olivia continued, regardless.

"I just think that it's important that I conquer my fears, you know? I mean, I'll have to face them eventually; I'd rather do it at a time of my own choosing, rather than being forced into it. Right?"

Near looked up. "I understand," he murmured.

"Well…" Olivia resignedly got to her feet. "I'd better go do this, before I chicken out completely."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Near turned back to his puzzle. Olivia began to walk out of the room, feeling slightly put-out. _Why does he always act so dismissive with me? I know he acts that way with everyone, but, somehow, I expected it to be different with me…Oh, boy, that's my inner fan girl talking again…_

As Olivia turned out of the room, she thought she heard Near whisper, "Good luck."

She had to admit, it felt good to be outside again. The wind gently brushed her hair off her shoulders; the sunlight lightly kissed her skin. Even the sight of the clear, blue sky filled her with joy. _Whoa,_Olivia thought. _I know I've been cooped up for a while now, but this is too much. Why does this first step outside feel so…good?_

_Oh my god, it must be Jay!_Olivia realized. _Our connection must go deeper than just telepathy; we must send emotions and sensations to each other as well! Hey, Jay!_ Olivia called.

_**Too early…uuuugh…leave me alone, L**__…_It was plain that Jay was still sleeping. Olivia decided to let her be, for now. Screwing up her courage, Olivia stepped at last onto the soft grass, smelling the crushed grass beneath her feet. Eyeing the woods suspiciously, she set off, staying within sight of the other kids.

Just as she was about to turn back, a strange smell wafted through the air towards her. The smell was familiar, but Olivia couldn't remember what it was. Following her nose, she stepped into the woods, dry leaves crunching beneath her feet. As she walked, the smell became stronger. She was barely within sight of Whammy's house; a seed of doubt began to grow in her chest. _What if this is some kind of trick? I'd better turn back now._

Olivia had barely taken a few steps in the opposite direction when she was grabbed from behind.

Jay's POV

"What?"

"_I said, do you know what 'death note' is?"_

"Death note? As in a notebook of death?" I replied, mimicking Light's line in the anime.

"_I assumed that you would know."_

"Sorry, bud. I got nuthin."

"_You haven't been of very much help. Perhaps if you co-operated with me, you would be released from your imprisonment."_

"And how, exactly, am I supposed to co-operate with you, when I don't know anything about the topics that you're discussing?"

"_Ah, but you_do_know about the topics that we're discussing. You just won't admit it."_

"Whatever you say, L." I sighed. "Whatever you say. Mind telling me how long I've been in here, again?"

"_Approximately forty days."_

"I suggest you move on, L. If I haven't cracked in forty days, then I'm obviously innocent."

"_That, or you're a very bad liar with a strong determination."_

I raised an eyebrow. _Bad liar?_

"You're just trying to throw me off my guard," I laughed.

"_Did it work?"_I could hear L's smile in his voice.

"Not in the slightest."

"_So you admit that you're hiding something."_

"I never said that."

"_No, you implied it."_

"Did I really?"

"_Yes, you did."_

"When, exactly?"

"_You admitted that my attempt to throw you off your guard didn't work 'in the slightest.' Your statement suggests that you, indeed, have a guard; you are hiding something."_

"I see…" I grinned despite myself. "That clinches it; you're definitely L."

L was silent.

"What? Aren't you going to say, 'I can neither confirm nor deny that hypothesis,' or some other mumbo jumbo?"

L didn't respond. I began to get anxious. "L, you there? Hello?"

The camera was quiet. "Oh, so it's the silent treatment, now, is it? Very mature." _Then again…I was giving him the silent treatment myself for a while, so maybe I shouldn't talk…_

"_It appears that you were_not _lying to me about your origins, after all."_

"What?" I sat up straighter, confused.

"_You've been talking in English for the past few seconds. From your accent, I would say that you're from…the American Midwest?"_

"Very perceptive, L. You're correct. But you can do better than that; I bet you can narrow it down to the state."

"_Very well; I accept your challenge. I will inform you of my decision once I have gotten a drink from the bubbler-"_

"Bubbler? Bubbler! Are you kidding me!" I burst out. "It's a freaking _drinking fountain!_ A bubbler is that thing that you find in offices, where you press the lever, and water comes out at the bottom, and air bubbles to the top of the water tank. A drinking fountain is that thing in school where you press the button and water squirts out. _Don't tell me it's a bubbler!_ _It's a drinking fountain!"_

I cut myself off, breathing heavily. _That stupid Wisconsin kid in my science class…I think he may have scarred me for life…talking about _bubblers _and _brewers _and whatever else…freaking annoying._

"_Well, you are certainly not from Wisconsin,"_ L said conversationally. I glared at him.

"Who knows? I might be the only person in Wisconsin who hates the term 'bubbler.' You never can tell, can you?"

"_I do not believe that that is the case here. You are most likely from…Illinois, am I correct?"_

"Can't hide anything from you, can I?" I smiled, shaking my head. "Geez, there's a _reason_ you're the greatest detective in the world. Why am I even bothering?"

**Author's Note: Ah, I just love being a fanfiction author. ;) Reviewers get a piece of pi! Yes, pi. As in, the number. I could type it here for you, but…you'll probably just skip over it anyways. **


	10. Mission

Olivia's POV

A hand was forced over her mouth, cutting off her scream of shock. Olivia struggled, but the arms restraining her were just too strong to break free of.

"Listen to me," a voice whispered in her ear. "I am not your enemy. I want to help you!"

Olivia stopped struggling, curious in spite of her terror.

"If I take my hand away, will you promise not to scream?"

Olivia nodded, and she was released from the man's grip. Immediately, she turned around, to find a tall, Japanese man standing behind her. He had long, black hair that swept down past his shoulders, and he was dressed in long dark pants and a tight black shirt. His fashion style reminded her of Jay; she never liked to wear bright colors.

"Who are you?" Olivia asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Are you the man who took me from the bus?"

"Ye-es…about that-"

"So you are! What the heck is your problem! You can't just carry random people off of buses like that!" Olivia's anger quickly overcame her fear; she grit her teeth irritably.

"I only wanted to speak with you-"

"Well, why didn't you just wake me up, or wait until I had gotten off the bus?"

"Someone might have overheard us."

"Overheard? What is so important to talk about that you were afraid of being overheard?"

"Listen." The man stepped closer, commanding full attention. "I know that you're not from here."

Olivia kept her face carefully blank. "Well, I'm from America, so-"

"I mean, you're not from this world."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know?"

"Because I'm not from this world either. I was pulled here, just like you were."

Olivia's eyes narrowed. "How do I know that you're telling the truth?"

The man sighed. "Ask me something that I would only know if I came from your world."

"All right." Olivia thought for a moment. "So…what world are we in, exactly?"

The man smiled grimly. "Well…It seems to me that we are in a world based off the hit manga series Death Note."

"Close enough," Olivia nodded, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone in all this. Well, besides Jay, but-"

"Jay?" The man interrupted, eyebrows furrowing. "Someone else came with you?"

"Yeah, she-"

"Where is she now?"

"In Japan." A shadow crossed the man's face, and he turned away.

"This is not good," He muttered. "Why did you two split up?"

"Hey, don't blame me! We had no control over it; Jay was kidnapped, and I ran away, and hid in a duffel bag that just happened to be on the express route to England."

The man turned to face her, pale. "Kidnapped?"

"Yeah. Well, I suppose she was technically arrested, but-"

"Arrested?" The man squatted down on the forest floor, a position that strongly reminded Olivia of L. "Tell me everything, from the beginning."

"Wait a minute." Olivia protested. "I don't even know who you are! Why should I trust you?"

The man looked up at her. "Why should you not trust me?"

"Hmm…let me think…you kidnapped me off of a bus!"

"I told you, I just wanted to talk to you."

"…fine." Putting her back to a tree, Olivia sat, starting her story with the incident in her basement. The whole time, the Japanese man didn't betray any expression; he simply sat and listened, never interrupting her or asking questions.

When she had come to the end of her tale, the man stood, beginning to pace back and forth. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Olivia plucked up the courage to speak.

"Excuse me, sir?" She asked. The man stopped pacing. "Who are you?"

"You may call me Abo."

"Abo?"

"Yes. Now, I've come up with a plan to get you home, but-"

"What? No, we can't leave yet!" Olivia protested.

"Why not?"

_**Olivia? What's going on?**_ A voice echoed in Olivia's head.

_Jay?_

_**Of course; who else would it be? Look, you've been broadcasting your thoughts to me ever since you tried to get me up a few minutes ago.**_

_Oh. Sorry._

_**It's okay. Now, I want to talk to this 'Abo,' so just repeat what I say, all right?**_

_Fine. Let me introduce you first, though._

"Are you all right?" Abo asked, stepping forward. "You stopped talking for a minute there."

"I'm fine," Olivia assured him. "Jay wants to talk to you."

"How-" Abo broke off. "Oh, right. I forgot- your telepathy. Can she hear what I'm saying now?"

"Yes. All right, from now on, this isn't me speaking, it's Jay."

Abo nodded, and Olivia began to translate.

"_Hi, Abo. This is Jay. A few minutes ago, you said that you had a plan to get us home, right?"_

"Yes, that's correct."

"_How do you know how to get us home? Weren't you pulled here just like we were?"_

Abo sighed. "I've been here a lot longer than you have. In fact, I got here just in time to see Light pick up the Death Note for the first time. Of course, I didn't realize it was Light at the time- I thought it was just a cosplayer- but, the point is, I've had time to work out what happened and run a couple of experiments," he explained. "It's very complicated, but I should be able to get you both home safely."

"_Well, I have no problem with going home. But, there are some things that I'd like to get done before I go."_

Abo's eyes narrowed. "Like what?"

"_I want to save L's life."_

As Olivia repeated Jay's words, she quickly asked, _And when did you decide to do this?_

_**About two seconds ago.**_

"You can't," Abo protested. "We can't risk contaminating the timeline further!"

"_Contaminating the timeline?"_Jay laughed. _"You sound like someone from Star Trek."_

"Look. If you've seen Star Trek, then you know about the theory of alternate realities."

"_Of course I do; my brother's obsessed with that stuff."_

Olivia reasserted herself. "Um, this is Olivia again, and I have no idea what you're talking about."

Abo sighed. "All right, then. I'll explain. In a nutshell, the world of Death Note that you've read about is what we call the 'original universe.'"

Abo picked up a twig from the ground. "The original universe is the main shaft on this twig. With me so far?"

Olivia nodded, and Abo continued. "Now, when you and Jay arrived, you caused the twig to branch. In other words, when you meddled with the events of the original universe, the path of that universe changed."

"_So, you're saying that the 'future' in the books and in the anime may not be what we experience here, right?"_Jay asked.

"Ye-es…the problem is, we have no way of knowing exactly how much the future has changed. It could be almost identical to the 'future' of the original universe, or it could be completely different. But I know this for sure; the more we meddle with events, the more the future will change. If you save L's life, then we will no longer have the advantage of knowing what is to come."

"_In other words, it'll be like real life."_Jay said._"Look, I know that what we've done, what we're doing, is changing the story. But I can't let L die. He's my favorite character, despite locking me up for weeks on end, and now that I've met him…I can't watch him die again. I can't allow history to repeat itself."_

"I'm with Jay on this one," Olivia added. "If we save L's life, countless other lives could be saved. Mr. Yagami…Mello…Matt…Watari…It's not fair that they had to die. I mean, it was different when they were just characters. But now that we've met them, in person…I can't just stand back and let it happen. I need to do something!"

Abo nodded slowly. "I can see that you won't change your minds about this," he sighed. "All right, then. I'll help you."

Olivia blinked in surprise. "What made you change your mind?"

Abo slowly smiled. "L was always one of my favorite characters, too. I hated that he had to die. Olivia, I believe that we're in the wrong country."

"_Hallelujah!"_Olivia felt Jay smile. _"I might be getting a cell mate! This is awesome!"_

"I doubt that L would put you two together in the same cell," Abo pointed out.

Jay sighed. _"I guess you're right. Well, I'll have to get some shut-eye…I've got another big day of interrogation ahead of me."_

"She's gone," Olivia said after a few seconds. "Look, Abo…can you give me a day or so to say goodbye to people?"

Abo nodded. "Meet me here tomorrow, same time." With that, he strode away, melting into the trees. Olivia stood there for a few seconds, and then began to walk back to Whammy's House.

_Abo…what an unusual name,_she mused. _I kinda like the sound of it, though…Abo, Oba, Abo, Oba…Whoa, wait a second…_

Olivia stopped dead in her tracks. In that instant, she realized something. When Abo had given her his name, he hadn't said Abo.

He had said Abho.

And Abho backwards, was…_No…freaking…way…_

_JAY!_

_**What? I thought I told you that I was sleeping!**_

_It's…it's…it's…_

_**Spit it out, already!**_

_It's Abo…or, it's not Abo…It's Ohba! It's Tsugumi Ohba!_

**Author's Note: Well, there you have it, folks! What do you think of my plot twist? Let me tell you, I honestly went into fan girl mode while I was writing this…I mean, come on, who doesn't want to meet Tsugumi Ohba? Review and tell me what you think!**


	11. Leaving

Near's POV

He knew that something was wrong as soon as Olivia walked into the room. Even without looking at her face, the sadness emanating from her was obvious to him. Her footfalls had been slower by twenty percent, and her breathing was twelve percent deeper than normal. Also, she did not immediately greet him, as she usually did. Near's hypothesis was confirmed as he glanced up into Olivia's face; her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

"Olivia? Has something happened?" he asked. He showed no indication of feeling on the surface, but, inside, his emotions were turbulent. Concern and anger were most prevalent; thoughts, born from these emotions, flooded into his mind. _If Mello has hurt her, I'll…_

"I'm leaving today," she whispered, misery now present in her face. Near's stomach plummeted, all other emotions draining away into a bottomless pit of sadness.

"I see," he murmured, closing his eyes briefly as he turned back to his puzzle.

"I don't want to leave," Olivia burst out, dropping her backpack and sitting by Near's side, struggling to contain her tears. "But, I have a friend who needs my help, and I can't let her down."

"This friend is very important to you," Near stated, jealousy coming unbidden into his heart. He pushed it away; Olivia needed his support right then, not his venom.

"Yes. But so are you," Olivia protested, reading Near's slight change in expression. He looked up, failing to force his curiosity back.

"How did-"

"-I know what you were feeling? You may not think that you have expressions, but you do." Olivia smiled in spite of her sadness.

"Look, ordinarily I'd stay, but this is a life-or-death scenario. I can't just abandon someone when they need me."

_And what about me? You don't think that I need you?_Near pushed his irrational thoughts back, focusing on Olivia's words. "I understand." He focused, not on the emotions that he was feeling, but on the emotions that he needed to be feeling. _I have to be selfless right now…to support Olivia. And, if that means letting her go, then that is what I must do, without any anger or jealousy._

"But, I want you to know that I'm not abandoning you." Near looked up at Olivia, keeping his expression guarded. Studying her expression, Near's gaze was drawn to her eyes. He had never noticed how very green they were. Then again, he had never seen them that close up before. And they were getting closer.

Before Near could do anything, Olivia had pulled him into a tight embrace, burying her head in his shoulder. It surprised him, and for several seconds, he merely sat there, his wide eyes blinking rapidly. Then, once he had gotten a grip on himself, he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around her. From her trembling, Near guessed that Olivia was trying very hard not to cry. Strangely, he was having the same experience, but without the shaking. Instead, his throat and eyes were prickling uncomfortably, and he had trouble taking a breath.

Suddenly, Olivia froze, and pulled back.

"I'm sorry…I don't know what I was thinking…" She stuttered, trying to apologize. Near shook his head, and mumbled, "It's quite all right. You don't have to apologize."

A strange feeling was stirring deep inside his chest; Near could not identify it. _This strange sensation…what is it?_

Catching a glimpse of the ornate clock hanging above the fireplace, Olivia visibly paled. "It's time," she said, breathing shakily. As she made to stand up, Near caught a hold of her hand.

"I want you to take this with you," he muttered, pressing a blank puzzle piece into her palm. Olivia took it, confused.

"But, if I take this, you'll never be able to finish your puzzle."

"That's the point." Near glanced down at the half-finished puzzle. "I'll be able to finish it when you return."

He didn't add that he had hundreds of other puzzles that he could work on while she was away. He had a feeling that it would spoil the moment.

Olivia slipped the puzzle piece into her pocket, eyes moist. "Thank you, Near," she whispered, smiling softly. Looking deep into his eyes, her expression changed to one of conviction. "I swear to you, Near, that I will come back."

"I have no doubt that you will," Near nodded.

As Olivia walked out of the library, Near turned back to his puzzle, knowing that it would not be completed. At least, not for a few months, at least. _That feeling, before…it was strong,_Near thought._It was…warm…and passionate…_

_Could it have been…_

The front door of Whammy's banged shut, echoing through the whole building.

Abo's POV

Abo- or rather, Tsugumi Ohba, - was waiting for Olivia in the forest. As she approached, he raised his hand in greeting.

"Olivia. Shall we get going?" he asked. The girl nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

As they trudged through the woods, Olivia suddenly spoke up.

"I know who you are," she said. "I figured it out after I left yesterday."

"Really? Who do you think I am?" Ohba asked. He was fairly sure that the girl knew the truth, but there was always the possibility that she was wrong…

"You're Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of Death Note," she stated confidently.

"Yes, I am." There was no point in trying to deny it. Olivia nodded in acceptance, and they continued walking.

"Do you still want me to call you Abo?"

"Yes. I think it's best if I remain Abo, for now."

"All right." It was plain that something was upsetting the girl, but Ohba didn't press her. _She's probably gotten attached to some of the Whammy's kids. _

The pair soon emerged onto a paved road. Sitting next to the stop sign, they waited silently for the bus to arrive. _This is more than just a girl missing her friends…it's something more…could it be that one of the Whammy's boys caught her eye?_ Ohba mused. _If that's true, I wonder which one…_

The bus pulled up to the stop, opening its doors invitingly. Ohba and Olivia stepped on board, paying the fee, then took two seats in the back. Sitting near the window, Olivia gazed out the window, her eyes glazed.

_It's probably Mello,_Ohba thought, settling down across the aisle. _He always was popular with the female fans…Even after he got his scar…_

His thoughts were interrupted as Olivia slipped something small out of her pocket. As she turned it over in her hand, Ohba immediately recognized it. _A blank puzzle piece…_He smiled to himself, shaking his head slightly.

"So, what's the plan?" Ohba looked up; Olivia had replaced the puzzle piece in her pocket, and was now staring intently at him. Ohba glanced around the bus anxiously, but all the other passengers were near the front. The sound of the engine would mask their conversation nicely.

"First of all, where did you get that puzzle piece?" Ohba asked.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean," Olivia retorted, her hand going to her pocket.

"That's not what I said."

"But you were thinking it, weren't you?"

"Not anymore."

Olivia sighed. "Near gave it to me."

"I thought as much. My question is, why did he give it to you?"

Olivia shrugged. "So that I come back, I guess. He won't be able to finish the puzzle without this piece, so…" She trailed off, blushing slightly.

"Okay, okay," Ohba raised his hands. "I'm done prying. You wanted to know what the plan was?"

Olivia nodded.

"Well, it involves going back to Japan. But, the problem is, we can't leave any traces that L might be able to track. So, we'll have to sneak on an airplane."

Olivia groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Oh…great."

"What?"

"Please don't tell me…"

"_What?"_

"I'm not going to have to get in a duffel bag again, am I?"

"…Well…" Ohba shrugged. "You _did_ give me the idea…"

"I...am…going…to…_die,_" Olivia moaned.

**Author's Note: Aww! This chapter almost made me cry while I was writing it…Well, there you go, NearxOlivia shippers… Don't forget to review! :D**


	12. Regroup

Olivia's POV

Olivia was dosing. Despite being crushed into a duffel bag, for the second time in her life, she admitted to herself that the cramped conditions were actually comfortable. Of course, this particular duffel bag was much more padded than the first one. Smiling slightly in her sleep, Olivia clutched Jay's backpack closer to her chest.

Suddenly, a slight bit of turbulence hit the plane, making several containers in the cargo hold fall into a disorganized mess.

_**Ouch! **_A voice burst into Olivia's head, shaking her from her drowsiness.

_Abo? _She asked. _Is that you?_

_**Olivia! **_Abo's voice replied. _**Can you hear me?**_

_Yes. It looks like-_

_**-We have a telepathic link now! Very interesting…Is this what it is like when you talk with Jay?**_

_Yup._

_**This is good news- now, you'll be able to contact me at any time.**_

_Whoa- did the airplane just…shudder?_

_**I expect that we're coming in for a landing. If we get separated, meet me at To-oh University, all right?**_

_Sounds good. _Breaking off, Olivia clutched the backpack tighter. _I wonder why I have a link with him all of a sudden. Maybe it has something to do with being from another universe…_

Suddenly, the plane bounced, sending Olivia up into the air. She came down hard, knocking the wind out of her. _Uff! The last time I did this, it wasn't nearly as bumpy…oww…_

_**Hey, Olivia! **_A different mind-voice broke through her pain.

_Jay!_Olivia cracked a smile, despite her various aches and bruises. _How's it going?_

_**My hands are dying from circulation cutoff, my neck has a crick in it, I'm suffering from root beer withdrawal, I'm being interrogated every day…you know, the usual.**_

_Fun. I'm looking forward to that._

_**Oh, it's a blast. Sooo…what's the amazing plan that Abo came up with?**_

_Are you ready for this? You're going to have to memorize our cover story._

_**Bring it.**_

Jay's POV

_Floating…on a sea of…root beer…with ice cream islands…and root beer rain…and whipping cream clouds…and birds…made out of straws…and napkins…Mmmmm…_The beautiful image was shattered by a loud, beeping noise.

"Wherezdarootbeer?" I sat up violently, blinking my eyes rapidly. As soon as my muddled mind started working, I glared at the camera stationed outside of my cell. "Why? Why do you always wake me up like this? Haven't you heard of beauty sleep?"

"_Well, actually-"_

"No, of course you haven't! You can't have, waking me up early every single day! I mean, honestly, what do you have against sleeping in? There's nothing wrong with it! I swear, when I get out of here-"

"_Would Jay-chan please shut up?"_

I rolled my eyes, sighing theatrically and leaning back against the wall. "Well, since you said _please_…"

"_Thank you."_L sighed softly. _"I have a theory about your involvement in this case, and I would like to share it with you."_

"Shoot."

"_Excuse me?"_

"Uhm…I meant, go ahead." I shook my head slightly, laughing under my breath.

L paused for a moment, and then broke into speech.

* * *

Olivia's POV

_Abo!_

_**Olivia?**_

_Yes, of course it's me! Where the heck are you? I'm standing in front of To-Oh University right now, and there's no sign of you!_

_**I'm afraid I've been held up…**_

_Held up? With what?_

_**With the airport security.**_

…_Are you freaking kidding me?_

_**Don't worry; I've managed to evade them for now, but I don't know when I'll be able to meet you. Just go on without me, all right?**_

_Fine. Are you sure you're gonna be okay?_

_**I'll be all right. Just go.**_

Olivia broke off contact, worry plain in her eyes. _How did they manage to find him? If they were checking the bags, then why didn't they find me, too?_

She shook her head, walking forward purposefully away from To-Oh. _I can't waste my energy worrying about him now; I have to stick with the plan._

Hoisting Jay's backpack over her shoulder, Olivia made her way through the city, focused on her mission. As she passed by the window of a store, a particular skirt caught her eye, and she stopped to admire it. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window. Her eyebrows rose. _Amazing! I'm twenty again,_she thought, grinning. _This is so cool…_ Olivia began walking again, slightly more upbeat than before as she slipped into the clothing store.

After leaving the store, weighed down with several shopping bags, Olivia turned a corner. Suddenly, she stopped dead, a shocked expression on her face. Three police officers were lounging near their cars, eating doughnuts and talking amongst themselves. Olivia recognized them immediately, and began to slowly back away. One of the officers looked up, his eyes narrowing. Recognizing her, he made to get up, and Olivia turned and ran, heart pounding in her chest.

There were footsteps behind her; the officers were chasing her! Olivia sped up, cursing the bulky shopping bags, but refusing to let them go.

"Stop!" Aizawa called after her, their chase attracting the stares of other shoppers. Glancing behind her, Olivia saw that her two pursuers, Aizawa and Matsuda, were gaining. _Hang on,_ Olivia thought. _If Aizawa and Matsuda are behind me, then where's-_

A hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her shoulder, making Olivia screech to a halt. She looked up shakily into the face of Mr. Yagami, who was already slapping handcuffs around her wrists.

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with us," he said gruffly.

Jay's POV

"_A few weeks before you came to Japan, your friend Olivia received an envelope from an unknown person or persons. Inside the envelope was a letter, along with a second, sealed envelope. The letter requested that you come to Japan, leave the sealed envelope in a specific location, and then return to the United States. Their only request was that you not open the sealed envelope. But you did, didn't you?"_

"Excuse me?" I kept my face carefully blank.

"_When you opened the envelope, you found a card inside, with a person's name and face on it. There was also a note inside, reading, 'Kill him.' Right after you opened that envelope, you spotted the person from the card. Am I right?"_

"…I can neither confirm nor deny your hypothesis!"

L sighed. _"Jay-chan…"_

I shook my head, grinning. "Sorry. But, in my defense, you had it coming!"

"_I would assume, by Jay-chan's reaction, that she does not agree with my theory?"_

I sighed, allowing defeat to slide into my voice. "Well, it's mostly true. You left out the part about us getting creepy phone calls in the middle of the night, but…"

"_Phone calls?"_

"Yeah. Creepy ones. Like I said before."

"_As in…"_

I sighed. "You know… 'Come to Japan or you'll wish you'd never been born.' There were a couple where it was just breathing, with soft screaming in the background…" I felt a shiver travel up my spine.

"How did you find out…?" I trailed off as I forced an expression of shock on my face. "Olivia. You caught her."

"_Indeed. I must admit, her level of determination is far beneath yours. Within a few hours of her capture, she had told me all that she knew."_

My eyes narrowed, anxiety racing through me. "What did you do to her?"

"_Nothing. She spoke of her own free will."_

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"_Did you think that I would hurt her?"_

I quickly shook my head. "I'm sorry for accusing you like that. I was just…worried."

"_I understand…"_

L's microphone clicked off. I immediately spoke to Olivia.

_How'd it go?_

_**They drugged me! With chloroform!**_

_Oh, yeah…they did that to me, too…_

_**And you didn't warn me about it!**_

_I forgot…sorry…_

…**_well, other than that, it wasn't too bad. I see what you mean about these handcuffs- how they cut off circulation? Man, you'd think that they_want _your hands to fall off!_**

_I know, right? Luckily, they take them off when you eat, so…_

_**But I sleep on my back! How am I supposed to sleep when my hands are tied behind my back?**_

_I dunno…sleep on your side, I guess…I didn't have that problem; I sleep on my stomach._

_**Well, good for you.**_

_The good thing is, now that L knows our cover story, he'll probably release us within a few days, a week at the most._

_**Are you sure?**_

_Of course I'm sure. I've been counting, haven't I? Only a few more days until I can have root beer again…_I trailed off, a blissful expression on my face.

_**Oh, Jay…**_Olivia laughed. _**You never change.**_

**Author's Note: Yay! I finally figured out how to do those line thingies! :D**

**Sorry, this one took a while, didn't it? Yikes. Well, anyways, it's up now, so….REVIEW! :D**

**P.S.- No, I don't own root beer.**


	13. Release

Jay's POV

Sunlight streamed through the open window, the rays falling softly onto my skin. The feeling was akin to slipping into a hot bath, and I stepped forward, allowing the sun to warm my face. A breeze gently caressed my skin, making the hair next to my face rustle softly. I closed my eyes, breathing in fresh air for the first time in fifty days.

"I'll return with Olivia in a few minutes. Until then, I'm afraid that I'll have to lock you in here," a voice said from behind me. I turned to face the speaker, sighing in frustration.

"Well, at least there aren't any bars this time," I grumbled, flopping onto one of the two beds in the room. "Or handcuffs. Geez, these beds are really comfortable…" I trailed off, grabbing a pillow and smelling it. "Oh, hey, look! The pillows _don't_ smell like mold! This is _definitely_ an improvement compared to my last cell!"

"Miss Jay, this is not a cell," Watari stated, smiling beneath his white bushy mustache.

I looked up at him. "Why not? You're locking me in, aren't you?"

"Yes…but only for a few minutes. As soon as I return with Olivia, the door will remain unlocked, unless you wish otherwise."

My eyes widened. "You're…not locking me up? Long term, I mean?"

"No. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Watari slipped out the door, the lock clicking into place behind him.

_Well, this is certainly a surprise,_I thought to myself. _I would have thought that L would have kept me restricted, like Misa was. Maybe it's because he doesn't suspect me of being Kira, so I'm not as much of a threat…_

I looked around the room, examining my surroundings. From the view out the window, I was obviously in the task force headquarters' building, or, as I thought of it, L's 'Task Force Skyscraper.' The room itself looked like a hotel, with two beds, a bathroom, television, computer, and even a tiny refrigerator in one corner. I immediately spotted a miniature camera, carefully disguised near the TV. _So he's still watching us…Just what I'd expect from him…_

Stepping into the bathroom, I checked every surface and crevice for cameras. As much as I liked L, now that he'd let me go, I was _not_ going to put up with him watching me in the shower.

I found nothing, and was just about to leave when I remembered a line from Death Note's anime. I pictured the scene, Ryuk poking his head into the vents in Light's room during the 'camera hunt.' _'Hey, Light! I found a camera-'_

"-In the air conditioner!" I burst out, spinning on my heel, my eyes immediately finding the vents near the floor. I kneeled down, pulling away the metal covering to find…nothing.

"Well, it was worth checking," I muttered, replacing the vent and leaving the bathroom, flipping off the light behind me.

The lock rattled, and the door swung open, revealing Olivia and Watari standing just beyond the threshold.

"_Jay!"_Olivia shrieked, rushing forward.

"_Olivia!"_I laughed, pulling her into a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"I know!" She grinned.

Watari gave us a few moments, then cleared his throat.

"Miss Olivia," he began, but Olivia cut him off.

"Please, Watari. Just call me Olivia-chan."

"Same goes for me," I added.

"Very well. Olivia-chan, there is a…item in the closet that I believe belongs to you."

Olivia looked at Watari oddly. "An item?" Crossing the room, she slid open the closet door to find…

"_Near!"_Olivia shrieked, pulling the white rat out of his cage. "Oh, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you!"

Cuddling him to her chest, Olivia spun on the spot, a huge grin on her face.

The rat squeaked, his paws visibly tightening on Olivia's finger. As soon as she stopped spinning, Near looked up into Olivia's face, chattered, then scuttled up her arm to take his usual place on her shoulder. Olivia smiled, stroking Near's fur rhythmically.

"Thank you so much for taking care of him, Watari," she grinned. Watari smiled back.

"Of course," he nodded, and then turned to me. "Jay-chan, there is also something for you, in the refrigerator."

"No way," I muttered, stepping slowly towards the refrigerator. Kneeling down, my heart pounding, I pulled the door open. The tiny light inside flickered on, to reveal…

The entire refrigerator, all three shelves, was packed with root beer. I spotted several brands- Burq's, A&W…I couldn't prevent a large smile from crossing my face, a tiny laugh escaping with it.

Grabbing a can, I closed the refrigerator door as I stood. I popped the tab, the fizzing carbonation music to my ears. I inhaled, the heavenly scent of root beer making me smile. Raising the can to my lips, I took a single gulp.

That was all it took. In an instant, I went from high-strung and anxious to calm and collected, my bad temper dropping away.

"Better?" Olivia asked.

"Much," I mumbled, sitting at the foot of one of the beds while I finished my can. "Thank you, Watari."

"It's not me you should be thanking," Watari said modestly. My eyes widened.

"L? L…gave me…root beer?" Watari nodded.

"Aww…that's so sweet!"

"Shut up, Olivia." I shook my head. "So, Watari, what's the plan?"

"The plan?" Watari's eyebrow rose.

"Yeah. Are you just going to keep us here, in this building, or what?"

"Everything will be explained to you. Now, follow me." Watari turned, striding out of the room. Glancing at each other, Olivia and I followed, Near perched on Olivia's shoulder.

As we walked down the carpeted hallway, Olivia and I began to speak telepathically to each other.

_**So, where do you think we're going?**_ Olivia asked.

_Probably to see L._

_**What? Why would L reveal himself to us?**_

_If he's planning on keeping us here in the building, and isn't going to lock us up, then…_

_**Then what?**_

_Either L wants to introduce himself properly, so that we don't find out by accident later, or…or he wants us to work on the Kira case._

We got into an elevator, and Watari pressed the B button, the doors closing behind us. I felt my heart begin to pound. _Why am I so anxious?_

_**Oh, god, Jay. Do**_**not**_**fall apart on me, again, **_Olivia thought at me.

_Don't worry. I've got my root beer; I'm good._

_**You had root beer last time.**_

_Yeah, but not in my hand. It was on the table, remember?_

_**Does that make a difference?**_

_Sure it does- now, I can take a sip whenever I need it._

_**If you say so…**_

At that moment, the doors opened, and we stepped into the main headquarters. The room was smaller than it had looked in the anime, but the sight of it still made me gasp.

_It's the…the…the…the room!_

_**I know!**_ We both struggled to keep from fangirl-squealing. I took a sip of root beer to calm me down.

"What the-"

"What are they doing here?"

I looked up, startled. Sitting in various chairs, scattered across the room, were Aizawa, Matsuda, Mogi, and Mr. Yagami. All of them were staring at us, eyes narrowed.

_**The task force! Oh, god...**_

"Ah. Good, Watari. You've brought them."

I whirled around. L and Light were standing behind us, their hands chained together by long handcuffs. Olivia and I slipped expressions of surprise and shock onto our faces.

"Ryuzaki! What is going on, here?" Mr. Yagami growled. L's dark eyes shifted to focus on him.

"These are the two newest members of the task force. Seeing as you are going to be working together from now on, I thought that you should be introduced."

"Hang on, when were you going to tell us this?" Light accused, glaring at L.

Ryuzaki shrugged. "I believe I just did."

Slouching into the room, L perched himself on a chair, Light sliding onto a seat next to him. One by one, the task force members gave their names.

"I'm Aizawa."

"Matsuda."

"Mogi."

"Yagami."

"My name is Light. Nice to meet you."

"You may call me Ryuzaki. However, I am also known," Ryuzaki turned, looking me directly in the eye, "as L."

Olivia gasped. I did nothing; I was trapped in L's gaze. _Those eyes…_They were a void; like a pair of black holes, their gravity held me firm. I had noticed that effect when I had watched the anime and read the manga of Death Note, but…seeing it in person, in full force, was a little overwhelming.

At last, aware that everyone was staring at me, I muttered, "I guess I should be surprised, but… I'm not."

Finally breaking eye contact, I addressed the task force.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jay."

"And I'm Olivia."

"Well, now that you've all been introduced…Watari," L stated, "Get them some laptops, please."

"Of course," Watari slipped through a side door, closing it behind him.

"All right, Ryuzaki. What exactly do you want us to do?" I asked, plopping down on a nearby sofa, tucking one of my legs under me. L raised an eyebrow, noting my unusual sitting position. I took a sip of root beer and waited for him to respond, barely keeping myself from grinning idiotically.

Light coughed. "Umm…Ryuzaki…"

"Yes, what is it, Light-kun?"

"I have that date with Misa in about five minutes, so…"

Olivia and I exchanged looks.

_Ohmygod!_

_**It's…it's…it's…**_

_It's the fistfight!_

_**Oooohhh…I can't wait to see Light get his butt kicked…**_

"Hmm…yes. Light-kun, do you think that Misa would benefit from having another female presence on your…date?"

Light blinked. "Umm…I don't know…maybe."

"Very well, then." L and Light stood up. "Let's see…Jay-chan, would you come with us, please?"

"O-kay…" I followed the pair into the elevator, shooting worried looks at Olivia and clutching my root beer can.

_**Is this L's way of asking you out?**_

_I…don't…really…know…Help?_

_**Oh, come on! Go have fun!**_

_How is this going to be fun? They're going to start fighting halfway through!_

_**Well, I guess you've got front row seats, then! Lucky…**_

_Lucky? Lucky? I'd trade places with you any day!_

The elevator doors closed, cutting off Olivia's merry wave.

"So…who is this…Misa?" I asked, leaning up against the side of the elevator and crossing my arms.

"She's my…uh…girlfriend," Light sighed.

"I see…and…why am I here, again?"

"Light-kun believes that having another female in the room will make Misa-chan feel more comfortable," L supplied.

"I didn't say that-"

The elevator doors clanged open, and a tiny, blonde blur streaked into the elevator, screeching, "Li-ight!"

_Oh, boy,_I thought. _Here we go…_

**Author's Note: Oh, boy…here comes Misa…everybody prepare yourselves! **


	14. Torture

Jay's POV

"So…who's this, Light-kun?" Misa asked, her high-pitched voice even more annoying than her personality.

"I'm Jay," I replied, politely introducing myself. Misa's eyes flickered from me to L and back again.

"Oh…I see!" she giggled. "So, how long have you two known each other?"

"Approximately fifty days," L muttered through his cake.

"Really? Only fifty days? Light and I have known each other for ten weeks. Ten blissful weeks!" Misa sighed, throwing soppy looks at Light.

_Oh, dear god, save me now, _I thought. I'd only been here for five minutes, and I was already just about to jump out the window. Or throw Misa out it.

Meanwhile, Misa was rambling on and on about her relationship with Light.

"…and our first kiss was only a few days after we'd met! Isn't that right, Light?"

"Uh-" Light coughed.

"I thought so! What about you two? When was your first kiss?"

I looked up in shock and horror, meeting L's eyes. He had frozen, a piece of cake halfway to his mouth. I could feel a blush forming on my cheeks, and noticed, with some amusement, that there was color in Ryuzaki's face, as well.

"Ohmygod! You two haven't kissed, yet? And you've been going out for fifty whole days!" Misa exclaimed. "Well, go on! Get over here, Ryuzaki!"

L looked over at her, eyes growing wide. "I…beg your pardon?"

"Come over here and kiss her! Here, I'll even scoot over!" Misa slid to the end of the couch. "Scoot over, Jay-chan! Make room for Ryuzaki!"

"I…I assure you, that is not necessary," L stammered, drawing his legs closer to his body.

"Misa, we're not dating," I explained, mortified, but she only looked confused.

"Well, of course you are! Why else would Ryuzaki have brought you here, if it wasn't a date?"

"Light-kun thought that it would be beneficial to have another woman in the room-" Ryuzaki began, but Light cut him off.

"I never said that, Ryuzaki!"

"In fact, Ryuzaki was the one who brought up the idea in the first place," I added, eyeing L suspiciously.

"Well, that settles it, then!" Misa proclaimed. "You're dating, so get over here and kiss Jay-chan!"

L began rapidly shoving cake into his mouth, muttering something unintelligible. I took a sip of root beer, my face red.

"Oh, come on, Ryuzaki," Light grinned. "It _has_ been fifty days, and I'm sure that Jay-chan's pretty upset that you haven't kissed her yet…"

"_Light!"_I spluttered in horror, almost spitting out my mouthful of root beer. L shot a nasty glare at the man sitting beside him, setting his cake down on the table. _Oh, crap. Now Misa's never gonna let this go…_

"What's wrong, Ryuzaki? You don't seem all that motivated to me," Light said. My eyes widened. _Oh, great._

L immediately pounced on the line. "You're right. Actually, I'm kind of depressed."

_Here we go. Better grab the popcorn._

L started on his rant, putting a slightly mournful expression on his face. The lines were flawless; I felt as though I was a psychic, knowing what everyone was going to say before they said it.

"It's probably best if I just stop trying so hard," L sighed. "Yes, it was all just a waste of time."

Light stood, bunching his hand into a fist. "Ryuzaki…"

"Hmm?" L looked up, an innocent expression on his face.

POW! Ryuzaki flew across the room, knocking over lamps, chairs, and the table. Light followed in his wake, pulled along by the handcuffs. Misa stood, wailing, then stepped in a slice of cake. "Waaaaahaaaa…eeewww!"

"You know…" L began, sitting up and rubbing his cheek, "…that really hurt."

Light stomped up to Ryuzaki, grabbing him by the front of the shirt. "What is your problem? If it was all just a waste of time, then why did you involve all of those innocent people? And, more importantly, what was the point of putting Misa, Jay, Olivia, and me behind bars?"

I gave a little start as I heard our names inserted into the familiar line. It brought me back to the present; I had been sitting there, merely watching the fight, as though I was watching it on television.

"I understand. But still…whatever the reason…" L ducked down, twisting his body to give Light a powerful kick to the jaw. Both went flying, Light dragging Ryuzaki this time, into the opposing couch, knocking it over. As the pair flew past me, the chain linking them swung out. It connected with my can of root beer, knocking it out of my hand. I sat there, momentarily frozen, watching in horror as the heavenly liquid drained out of the can and into the carpet.

"Oh…no…they…didn't…" I stood, my eyes blazing. Vaulting over the overturned couch, I landed between Light and L, the former of which just about to punch the latter in the face.

"You!" I hissed, shoving Light onto his butt. "Sit down!"

"You!" I turned on L, who was crouched on the floor in a ninja pose next to me. "Stay seated!"

Light tried to get up, but I put a foot on his chest. "Don't make me sit on you," I growled, my eyes flashing dangerously. Light glared at me, but stopped in his efforts.

"Now," I began, leaning against the couch and wiping my bangs out of my eyes, "you two are going to clean up this room, and when you are done, you're going to apologize to Misa for ruining her date. Are we clear on this?"

"I believe that Light-kun was the one that started the fight-"

"Don't make me start on you, Ryuzaki," I warned. "You were goading him on; you are equally at fault. Now, get started, before I start talking like an angry mother." I started to walk around the couch.

"Too late," Light muttered. I paused, turning back to glare at him, then sighed.

"Just clean."

Later that night, Olivia and I were wandering the hallways on our floor, talking in muted voices about the case. We were just passing our room when we heard the elevator ding, the doors sliding open. We waited in silence as a pair of footsteps approached. Light and L turned the corner, dark bruises apparent on their faces. I sighed angrily, shaking my head as I slipped into the room, closing the door behind me. I was still mad at them; at Light for making Misa think that L and I were dating, and at L for dragging me there in the first place. And both of them for spilling my root beer.

I heard Olivia begin to talk with them, no doubt telling them to leave off. Or, at least, that's what I hoped that she was telling them. Groaning, I stepped into the bathroom, flicking the light on. And stopped dead in my tracks. I immediately backpedaled, closing the bathroom door behind me.

"Ohhhhmygod." I breathed, petrified. "O-kay. I can handle this."

I sneaked over to the closet, rummaging through the various items stored there. I began grabbing random articles of clothing, shoving them on fervently. After a few minutes, I was ready. I stood outside the bathroom door wearing my 'battle armor' and slowly creaked open the door, a huge wad of Kleenex in one hand. I immediately spotted my target, resting innocently on the ceiling. I shuddered in disgust. _Oh, god. That thing's huge…it must be at least three inches long…ugggh…All, right…I can do this…_

Olivia's POV

"I really hope that you two came to apologize to her," Olivia stated, glairing at the pair. "She's absolutely furious at you."

"Yeah, I know. You realize that she made us clean the whole room after we'd trashed it?" Light shook his head.

"Light-kun and I decided that it would be best to give her some time before we attempted to apologize," L added. "However, perhaps that was not the correct plan…"

Olivia blinked. "No, it was perfect. If you try to apologize right away, she just snaps at you. Trust me, I've tried."

Near squeaked as if in agreement, rubbing his paws over his nose.

"Why _did_ you bring her up there, Ryuzaki?" Olivia asked, tilting her head slightly. "And don't give me that 'it would be better for Misa' crap. I know that's not the real reason."

L looked slightly uncomfortable. "I-"

At that exact moment, there was a loud scream from inside Jay's room.

"_Holy shit, that thing moves fast!"_

"Jay?" Olivia raced into the room, followed by the two men. Various crashes and bangs were coming from inside the bathroom. Olivia tried to turn the handle, but it was locked. She pounded on the wood of the door.

"Jay, are you all right?"

"_You're not getting away from me!"_Jay yelled from inside the bathroom.

There were five or six loud bangs in succession, making the floor shake slightly.

"_I got it!"_ Jay called, relief apparent in her voice.

The handle rattled, and the door opened, revealing Jay, wearing gloves, sunglasses (over her regular glasses), scarf (wrapped around her mouth), and a pair of too-big earmuffs. In her hand, she held a wad of Kleenex, inside which could be seen the remains of some large insect.

"Centipede," Jay shuddered, tossing the bundle into the trash can.

"Jay…what…?" Olivia stuttered, eyes wide.

Light snickered. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Jay looked down. "I…I don't really know," she admitted, beginning to laugh.

Jay's POV

After everyone had calmed down and I had taken off my 'battle armor,' L and Light began to apologize, but I cut them off.

"It's all right," I smiled. "You can repay me by taking Olivia next time."

"Hey!" Olivia punched my arm good-naturedly. "No way am I putting up with that! 'It's been fifty days and you haven't kissed yet?'"

"Ohmygod, that was so embarrassing…" I felt myself going red again.

"I almost died laughing," Olivia grinned. "The look on your faces was priceless! And you should have seen Matsuda's reaction…"

"Well, at least she didn't _make_ us kiss," L muttered, taking a sip of root beer. I looked over at him in horror.

"You mean, she actually would have…hey, where did you get that?"

L pointed. "From the refrigerator."

"That's mine!"

"Actually, I bought it, so it's technically mine."

"You gave it to me, so it's mine!"

"Ah, but if it was originally mine, I have the right to take it back at any time."

"Not if it's a gift!"

"It's too late, anyways. I already drank half the can," L pointed out. I glared at him, then snaked my hand out and plucked the root beer out of his grip.

"Wha-"

I raised the can to my lips, draining it. As soon as it was empty, I handed the can back to Ryuzaki. "No hard feelings. You can keep it, now."

L stared at the empty can in shock, then met my gaze. I grinned, raising an eyebrow, as if to say, 'and what are you going to do about it?'

The corners of L's mouth twitched.

"I swear, they're perfect for each other," Olivia whispered to Light.

"I heard that!"

**Author's Note: Hope this chapter made you laugh! I know I did! :D Please review! Review, review, review!**


	15. Doubts

Jay's POV

"I'm baack!"

Matsuda burst through the elevator door, joyfully brandishing a bag in his left hand. "Did anyone miss me?"

"Oh, hi Matsuda," I called. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you all day."

"I was on a special mission-"

"Matsuda! Stop goofing off!" Mr. Yagami growled, cutting off Matsuda's explanation.

"Did you bring the items I requested?" L asked.

"O…Of course, Ryuzaki," Matsuda said, put out. "Here…"

Matsuda set the bag next to L's computer; Ryuzaki immediately reached into the bag with one hand and pulled out a packet of cookies, pinching it between his finger and thumb in his usual way.

"They were really hard to find! I had to go to a store halfway across town to get them." Matsuda grinned proudly.

"Hm…yes. Thank you, Matsuda. These will be very helpful…"

"Ryuzaki, I don't see how some cookies are going to help us with the investigation…" Aizawa frowned.

"The investigation?" L blinked. "No, these aren't for the investigation. They are for me."

"…What?"

"This particular brand of cookies was extremely popular several years ago. Unfortunately, the company recently went out of business, and as a result the cookies can be found in only a few select stores all over the world. The package I sent you for is one of the last bags ever produced of these particular cookies," L explained calmly. "I felt the need to try them before they disappeared for good…"

"You mean you sent Matsuda out on some wild goose chase for _three hours _just so that you could try some cookies?! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Aizawa retorted.

"I could not fully concentrate on the Kira investigation until I had tried them. As a result of my distraction, my deductive reasoning skills decreased by roughly eight percen-"

"What, so you start craving cookies, and all of a sudden, you can't concentrate on anything, is that it?!"

"Hey, Jay-chan…" Matsuda sidled up to me, secretively passing me a small bag. "These are for you and Olivia-chan…"

I glanced down at the bag, quickly reading the label. "Assorted candies…Aw, thanks, Matsuda!"

Olivia bounded over. "Hey, Matsuda! You got us candy? That's really sweet!"

Matsuda chuckled, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly. "It was nothing…I figured I would do something nice for you guys…I mean, the rest of us can leave the building whenever we want, but you guys are stuck here…"

I grinned. "Trust me, Matsuda. Right now, we wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"Besides," Olivia added, "it's for our safety, right? Like L said…"

"Oh…well, I guess so…"

"But, honestly, Matsuda, these are really nice. I mean, it's hard to get your hands on any sweets in this place, 'cause _someone_ keeps _inhaling_ them…"

"Lahrge amhnts ovf suguhr uh necesurrie oo aintayn aye ognityve uhbilities," L mumbled, focusing intently on his computer.

"Sorry, what was that?" I asked. "I couldn't hear you through your mouth of cookie."

L swallowed. "I said, large amounts of sugar are necessary to maintain my cognitive abilities."

"Didn't I hear somewhere that sugar was really bad for you?" Olivia commented.

"Yeah, I heard that too…that too much of it is like poison to your body…" I joked.

"Not in my case," L stated firmly. "For me, sugar…is…essential." He began munching on another cookie.

"So…what happens if you don't get any sugar?"

L swiveled around in his chair, meeting my eyes with an intense stare. "Jay-chan…don't even consider it."

"Consider what?" I blinked innocently.

"Consider depriving me of sugar."

"When did I say I was considering that? I just asked you about it."

"Yes, but your tone implied that you _were _considering it."

"…I can neither confirm nor deny that hypothesis," I shrugged, allowing a tiny, mischevious grin to slip onto my face.

"Hm…" L swiveled back to face his computer, trying to keep his face emotionless.

But I could see the smile in his eyes.

A few days later, I sat on the couch in the main headquarters' room, typing away at my laptop.

_Hey, Olivia,_I thought.

_**Yeah?**_

_Where did you put the Death Note #13?_

_**Oh…I left it with Abo. I didn't think that it would be the best idea to bring it here.**_

_Yeah, that would have been bad. But, you have telepathy with him, right?_

_**Yup.**_

_Could you ask him to look up the date when Light finds that Yotsuba stuff? It's been ages since we've had any leads._

_**Oh, sure. What's today, again?**_

_I think it's October first…yeah, it is._

_**Okay…**_Olivia was silent for several minutes. _**Hey, guess what? It's happening today!**_

_Are you serious!_

_**Nope.**_

_That's great; thanks, Olivia._

_**No prob. Oh, I remember this episode…they joined the fight scene and the Yotsuba stuff together, right?**_

_Oh, yeah…hey, wasn't this the part where L was sitting backwards on his chair?_

_**Yeah, it was! I never could figure out why he was doing that, and not working on the case…**_

_Maybe he was trying to act depressed; you know, putting on a show for Light._

_**Um…Jay?**_

_What?_

_**I don't think that's why…**_

I glanced up at Olivia. Her eyes were moving from my face to behind me, where the others were sitting, and back again.

_What?_

_**L's looking at you.**_

_What?_ I stopped typing.

_**He's staring right at you!**_

_Shut up; he is not._ I rolled my eyes, beginning to type again.

_**Oh, yes he is.**_

_Really?_

_**Really. I dunno, Jay…first, he takes you on a date…now, he's staring at you…**_

_You're making a big deal out of something that's not._

_**Well, go ahead and look behind you, if you don't believe me.**_

"Ryuzaki, I know you're not feeling up to it, but take a look at this." Light's voice echoed through the silent room. Ryuzaki rolled his chair over to Light's side, staring at his computer screen.

_**Well, now you've missed it!**_

_I don't think he was staring at me in the first place. That's so unlike L._

_**Not if he's in lo-ove…**_

_Oh, shut it. Why are you so determined to pair us up?_

_**Let's see…A. I know that he's your favorite character, and you've had a bit of a crush on him since you read book five.**_

_Olivia!_ I looked at her in shock; I had never told anyone that.

_**B. I can tell that he likes you, too. I mean, the way you two talk to each other… it's like you're already married.**_

_Already-?!_

Olivia quickly cut off my thoughts of protest. _**You know that I have a sense for this kind of stuff, right? Remember how I introduced Jake and Amanda to each other, and then they dated for like three years?**_

_So?_

_**So…Stop denying it, Jay. There's obviously a connection between you two-**_

_Okay, now you're starting to sound like Misa. 'It's been fifty days and you two haven't kissed yet?' You're both trying to shove us together._

_**I'm just saying-**_

_Well, stop 'just saying.'_I closed my laptop a little harder than necessary.

"Hey, Jay! Where're you going?" Olivia asked as I stood up.

"I just want to take a look around." _I might as well get this over with now…_

I slipped into the hallway behind the main headquarters' room, the door clicking shut behind me. A long, featureless corridor faced me, with blank doors popping up every ten feet or so. The fluorescent lights sparked and whirred on the ceiling, giving me chills.

I steeled myself, pushing my glasses closer to my eyes. I knew that I was going to have to do this sooner or later, and there wasn't going to be any better time to do it. And I needed to get away from Olivia for a while.

Stepping forward, I opened the first door, heart pounding. Poking my head inside, I breathed a momentary sigh of relief before backing out. It wasn't the right room. I did the same with the next door, and the next. Finally, after about six doors or so, I found the room I was looking for. As I laid my hand on the handle, a strong chill ran through me, as though the temperature in the hallway had dropped twenty degrees. I twisted the handle, pushing the door open. My breath caught in my chest, and I stepped slowly into the room, flicking on the light switch.

The room itself was unremarkable; it was filled with slate-grey metal shelves, on which rested electrical boxes with mazes of wires connecting them. Lights of various colors blinked rapidly, attracting the eye. The floor was covered with neutral-colored tiles. No, there was nothing remarkable about this room, except for perhaps the sheer amount of electrical wiring.

But I knew this room. Even though I had only seen flashes of it, shadowed by red light, I could never forget this room. Especially now.

This was the room where Rem had written L's name in the Death Note. I could see the scene taking place in my mind: Rem scrawling franticly in the notebook, even as she was beginning to disintegrate…L, back in the computer room, eyes staring at the screens, reading, 'All Data Deletion'… His spoon, dropping…

"No," I breathed, steadying myself on the doorframe. _I can't…I won't let it happen again._I swallowed, my throat tight.

_Geez…I didn't expect it to affect me this much…I can barely take a breath…What's wrong with me?_

"Jay? Are you all right?" Olivia came up behind me, stopping when she saw the room. "Oh…"

"I…I wanted to know where it was," I muttered, flicking off the light switch and closing the door. Glancing at the number next to the wooden doorframe, I gave a hollow laugh. "Well, that's ironic."

"What?"

"It's room number twenty-five."

"So?"

"So…Episode Twenty-five was when…"

Olivia's eyes widened. "…Oh, right." _**Look, Jay…I-**_

_It's all right._I cut her off. _I know you didn't mean to be annoying. I overreacted. I guess I'm kinda…stressed out, right now._

_**Stressed out?**_

_I mean…what if we can't save him?_I closed my eyes, trying to block out my terror.

_**We will! We will save him!**_ Olivia firmly gripped my shoulder.

_But what if we can't? I…I don't want to watch him die, again._

_**We'll come up with a plan, all right? And it'll work, you know why?**_

_Because we have the advantage._

_**Exactly. We know what's going to happen, or, at least, pretty close to it. And, we have plenty of time, over a month to come up with the most foolproof plan ever. Okay?**_

…_Yeah. Sorry about that._

_**Hey, that's what friends are for, right?**_

**Author's Note: A huge thank you to all the people who reviewed last time! It's fun to read all of your responses, so don't let up! And…if I were to, say…write a book…well, what do you think of that idea? Would you be willing to suffer through a whole novel of my writing? Just kidding- my writing's not that bad…I think….?**


	16. Olivia

Olivia's POV

_**HEY! OLIVIA!**_

I sat up violently in the bed. "Whazzamatter?"

_**It's me, you sleepyhead**__,_ Jay said telepathically. _**Get your butt down here; we've got some minor characters making an appearance.**_

_Whaaat? Did Aizawa come back?_ I asked hopefully.

_**No, he only left a few days ago; he won't be back till the Higuchi chase, remember?**_

_Oh, yeah…_My heart sunk. Even though I'd known that Aizawa was going to leave, it was still painful when it happened. I couldn't help feeling bad for the poor guy, especially since I knew how much leaving the case had hurt him.

_**Stop feeling sorry for Aizawa; you know he'll be fine. Just get down here, or you're going to miss the introduction!**_

_Okay, okay…I'm coming._

Sitting up, I grabbed Near out of his cage, setting him on my shoulder. He squeaked, cuddling up against my neck. The warmth of his little body soothed me; as I left the room, I felt myself relaxing.

_Let's see…I wonder who's down there…_I thought to myself as I stepped into the elevator. _If it's not Aizawa…then…oh, yeah!_

The door slid open, and I walked into the main headquarters' room. Two people were seated on one of the couches. One of them was a light-haired, good looking man who seemed to be in his early thirties. The other was a smaller, blonde woman wearing a fur hat and sunglasses.

I spotted Jay leaning on the wall next to the computers. I headed over to her, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

"It's about time you got down here," she smiled.

"I had a late night…" I yawned, standing next to Jay and listening in to the conversation taking place a few feet away. Matsuda, L, Light, and Mr. Yagami were all clustered around one computer, and Mogi was sitting by himself at another. Matsuda stood up, his face slightly anxious.

"Ryuzaki, is there anything I can do to help with the Kira investigation, besides being Misa-Misa's manager?" Ryuzaki looked up.

"So…you really want to be useful?"

"Yes!"

"Then…could you get me another cup of coffee?"

"Wha-?" Matsuda reeled back in shock. Jay and I glanced at each other, trying not to laugh.

"And for our guests over there, as well…"

The two strangers stood, turning to face the task force, nonchalant expressions on their faces.

"Hang on, who are they?"

"Those two are the newest members of the task force," L supplied, swiveling his chair around. The strangers introduced themselves.

"Hi. I'm Aiber, a con-man. How's it going?"

"I'm Wedy, a thief."

"A con-man and a thief?" Mr. Yagami shook his head.

"That's right," Ryuzaki stated.

_Oooohhh…Aiber and Wedy…they look so intimidating…_I thought.

_**I know! Aiber's so much taller than I thought he was…**_

_Yeah…how tall do you think he is, six feet?_

_**Maybe…**_

"I get it; we're going to need the help of people like this in order to solve this case. Let's all do our part to make this happen, okay?" Light announced, getting a reluctant grunt from his father.

"Now, if you would all introduce yourselves, then we can get underway," Ryuzaki sighed.

"I'm Light."

"Yagami."

"Matsuda."

"Mogi."

"Olivia."

"Jay."

"And you may call me Ryuzaki, just to be safe."

The next day, I went through a list of Yotsuba staff with Jay. It was boring work; I felt a headache coming on. Suddenly, the pressure in my head increased, and I clapped a hand to my forehead.

"Hey, Olivia, you all right?" Jay asked.

"Yeah…I just got this really bad headache…I'm probably tired."

"Well, you _have_been staying up late lately."

"Hmmm…" I massaged my temples. Then, as fast as the headache had come on, it had gone. A voice echoed through my head.

_**Olivia! Olivia, can you hear me?**_

_Abo?_

_**Yes! Finally, I've been trying to reach you for a while, now.**_

_Are you all right? Has anything happened?_

_**I'm fine, but I hadn't heard from you, so I thought I'd check in.**_

_Well, we're pretty much fine, here. Aiber and Wedy showed up yesterday._

_**Ah, yes. And how did that go?**_

_Exactly as we expected it to._

_**Good…have you noticed any plot changes?**_

_Not really…It's all pretty much by the book here._

_**That's a good sign…Just try not to meddle too much early on, all right? If you do that, then who knows how events might change.**_

_Will do. Oh, is anything happening today? Plot wise, I mean?_

_**Let me check…Ah, yes. 'October 8- Matsuda presents Misa Amane to high-ranking Yotsuba employees.'**_

_Ohmygod…Matsuda! Jay's going to be thrilled- this is one of her favorite scenes!_

_**Just remember…don't do too much meddling…**_

_Don't worry. We'll be fine. Thanks for checking in, Abo._

"Feeling better?" Jay asked as I raised my head.

"Yeah…"

_Hey, Ja-ay…_

_**What?**_

_Guess what today is?_

_**Hm?**_

_I'll give you a hint…Matsuda._

_**Are you freaking kidding me?**_Jay met my eyes, face lit up.

_It's straight from the author's mouth._

_**Oh, this is perfect! Haha! I love this part!**_

"What's wrong?" Ryuzaki's voice echoed through the room. Jay and I swiveled, turning to watch the scene.

By the computer, Light blinked confusedly. "What?"

"You've been staring at me for the last two minutes. Wait, let me guess, you're annoyed because I'm the only one eating cake at the moment. Am I right?" Jay and I grinned at each other.

Light shook his head. "Uh- no, that's not it-"

"Here," Ryuzaki handed his plate over to Light, who held up his hands.

"Really, don't worry about it-"

The computer beeped, and Watari's voice came over the intercom.

"_Ryuzaki, someone has asked Detective Eraldo Coil to uncover the identity of L."_

"What?" Mr. Yagami growled as everyone gathered around the computer. Jay and I stood as well, taking the place behind L's chair. "Who would do such a thing?"

A profile page came up on the computer screen. _"The man's name is Masahiko Kida, and he is the head of the Rights and Planning Department at Yotsuba."_

"So it _is _Yotsuba!"

"This isn't good; we're shorthanded, and now we have to worry about Coil, too."

L frowned, chewing on a piece of cake. "It's all right. The detective known as Eraldo Coil is me."

"What?" I put in, a puzzled expression on my face.

"It's simple, really. L, Coil, and Daunerve, the three greatest detectives in the world, are all actually me. People who try to uncover my identity usually fall for this."

With his thumb and forefinger, Ryuzaki picked up the strawberry on his plate. Swiveling around on his chair, he locked eyes with Jay.

"I'll give you this strawberry if you keep it a secret, okay?" He said, delicately placing the fruit in her palm before turning back to the computer.

"Watari, please contact Aiber and Wedy."

_**He…he…he gave me the strawberry,**_ Jay thought at me, blushing furiously and staring at her cupped hand.

_Well…better with you than in Mogi's pocket,_I grinned.

_**But why would he give it to me? Why not Mogi, like in the anime?**_

_I already told you…_

_**I know what you told me. But we can't rule out the possibility that it might just have been a coincidence.**_

_Then why are you blushing?_

Jay sighed. _**Why do you have to be such a romantic?**_

_Okay, okay. I'll drop it. So, what are you going to do with the strawberry?_

_**Huh?**_

_Well, you can't just throw it away, right?_

_**No! Why would I do that?**_

_I'm just saying…_

_**Well, what would you do with it?**_

_Hmmm… I'd probably preserve it in a jar, or something…_

…**_Yeah, 'cause that wouldn't be suspicious at all! I can picture it now- "I'm preserving the strawberry you gave me. No, I'm not obsessed with you, I'm creating art. Yeah, I already preserved a pear and an orange at home, so I thought, why not a strawberry?" That'll go down real well._**

I smiled, letting out a tiny laugh. _You're so funny, Jay. Well, do with it what you wish; I'm not the one L gave it to._

**Author's Note: So…as you can see, I decided to write Olivia in first person for this chapter. Something different, right? Tell me what you thought of it, and if I should do it more often.**

**Please Review! :D **


	17. Thoughts

Jay's POV

"So, you just want me to get close to Kida, right? I can do that," Aiber smiled.

"And you want me to break into their security systems and override their cameras. Is that all?" Wedy said dismissively.

"Yes," Ryuzaki stated. "But, keep in mind that we cannot let Yotsuba know that we are investigating them. If they do realize this, it means that we won't be able to catch Kira."

Olivia and I stood a little off to the side, listening silently to the conversation. My head was spinning, and I was staring down at the strawberry in my hand.

_I can't believe he did that…Is Olivia right? Could he actually…No. I can't assume that he has feelings for me just because he was being friendly towards me. I don't have enough proof…and even if I did…I couldn't do anything about it._

My mind flashed back to Abo's words, back when I was still imprisoned.

"_The more we meddle with events, the more the future will change."_

_If…if L and I…If there_is _something there, something more than friendship…_ I blushed softly just thinking about it.

_If we were together, L might make decisions differently than he did in the manga and the anime. If he does that, then…the future will change, and I might not be able to save him._

_So…even if we do…have something…I can't act on it. At least, not until after Kira has been dealt with._

L's computer beeped, interrupting my thoughts. I looked up sharply, pushing my glasses into place.

"_Ryuzaki,"_Watari said informatively. _"I've just received an emergency signal from Matsuda's belt."_

L sighed, turning his head toward the computer. "Where is he?"

"_The signal appears to be coming from Yotsuba headquarters."_

Everybody groaned. I closed my eyes briefly, trying not to smile but not entirely succeeding.

"Disregard everything I just said," L muttered, massaging his forehead. "We'll need to think up a new plan." Then, almost to himself, he sighed.

"Matsuda, you idiot."

"All right," Light said. "The first thing we need to do is figure out a way to contact Matsuda without raising suspicion."

"Right. We could try Matsuda's cell phone, but we don't even know if it's on or off right now," Mr. Yagami grunted.

"Plus we'd need to disguise our voices somehow…and the caller-ID, too," I put in, sweeping my bangs behind my ear.

As I spoke, I noticed that L had pulled out his cell phone, and was rapidly punching in numbers.

"I will need everyone to be completely silent for a few minutes," Ryuzaki put in, punching in a number and raising the phone to his ear.

"What are you-" Mr. Yagami began.

"Shhhh!"

_Oh, no…_

_**What?**_ Olivia looked at me concernedly.

_I'm not gonna be able to keep quiet for this…_

"_Hello?"_ Matsuda's nervous voice came over the phone.

"Yo! Matsui!" L smiled, adopting a teenage-tone of voice. I covered my mouth, ribs aching with the effort of holding in my laughter. "Hey, it's me, Asahi! It's been a while, buddy!"

"_Asahi! Yeah, it's been a long time!"_

"It doesn't sound like you're out right now…Don't tell me you're home, already!"

"_Yeah…"_

"So…you by yourself?" L sneered, sounding for all the world like some teenage creeper.

"Ohmygod," I breathed, barely keeping myself from snorting. Out of nowhere, Olivia handed me a pillow, trying to keep from giggling herself. I buried my face in it, my whole body shaking with suppressed laughter.

"_Yeah, I'm by myself. What's up?"_

"He's not with Misa Amane right now," L whispered to the task force in a normal tone of voice before returning to the conversation.

"So, do you wanna, like, go out drinking tonight?"

_Oh…my…god…_My eyes began to water, the tears absorbed by the pillow. I barely kept myself from squeezing the strawberry in my hand into mush.

"_Oh, sorry. I'll have to pass tonight."_

"Aw, what's the matter? Don't tell me your wallet is _in trouble_again."

"_Yeah, big troubles with money! You know me way too well!"_

"Matsuda's saying he's in big trouble," L told the task force. Turning back to the phone, he drawled, "Aw, that's too bad. I guess I'll have to drag you out some other time, all right? See ya, buddy!"

A loud beep told me that Ryuzaki had hung up the phone. I allowed a small snort to escape, which, of course, was followed by a muffled snicker. Next to me, Olivia gasped, "Are you…all right?"

"I…think I…cracked a rib," I laughed, my voice muffled by the pillow. _Must…stop…laughing!_I forced myself to calm down. _Okay…breathe. Breathe._

After a few minutes, I finally calmed down enough to raise my head up off the pillow. Somehow, I had ended up sitting against the wall, pillow supported by my knees.

"Okay," I breathed, taking off my glasses and wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "I'm good. I'm good."

"Are you sure?" L asked, an odd tone in his voice.

"Yeah." I stood, coughing slightly. "I'm gonna go get some root beer."

As I left the room, I dropped the pillow on one of the couches before stepping into the elevator.

Once I was back in my room, I went in the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. Opening the fridge, I grabbed a can of root beer and replaced it with L's strawberry on a plate. Popping the tab, I took a sip, sighing in relief.

"Aaaahhh…"

Olivia stepped into the room. "Jay?"

"Hm?"

"They figured out how to save Matsuda. The thing is, they need our help."

"What?"

"Matsuda's going to bring the Yotsuba people here, and Misa's going to have a 'reception' for them in one of the empty rooms. Later, Matsuda's going to pretend to be drunk, and then pretend to fall off the balcony," Olivia rehearsed for the benefit of the cameras.

"Okay, so how do they need our help?" I didn't like the sound of this.

"Some of the girls for the reception are sick tonight, so…we have to…"

"You have got to be kidding me." _We have to dress up in those outfits with the heart-shaped cut-outs? And serve alcohol to old men who'll probably try to get in our pants?_

…**_Yeah. Pretty much._**

…_Matsuda, you idiot._

About a half-hour later, Olivia and I stood in the center of Misa's reception room along with four other similarly-dressed women. I felt completely out of place: My black hair had been yanked out of its normal ponytail, and now hung limply around my shoulders, my glasses had been replaced with contacts, and I was now wearing more makeup then I ever had in my life. Everyone else was in a similar dilemma.

"Good evening!" We chorused, smiling charmingly. "We're very pleased to meet you!"

_Pleased to meet you, my ass._I growled in my head, picking at the too-small blue top I was wearing.

_**It's okay, we just have to put up with it for twenty minutes or so**__,_Olivia sighed.

_I am_not_going to survive this,_I thought as the eight pink-slippered men shuffled into the room. One of them, a brown-haired man with a mustache, immediately slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me onto the sofa with him.

"Hey, you're really cute, you know that?" He said, grinning. I forced myself to giggle, trying not to slap him.

_Twenty minutes,_I thought. _Even five minutes is way too long. Help, Olivia!_

"Here, have a drink." Olivia handed the man a glass before turning away.

_**Gee, thanks. That really helps.**_ I thought after her as the man drained the cup.

_Sorry, but if I don't start serving this, It'll look suspicious._

I regretfully returned my attention to the man beside me.

"So…what exactly do _you_ do in your company?"

"Well, aren't you a talkative one?" He grinned, leaning in closer. "I like that in a woman."

_Oh, bleaach._I tilted my head, putting on a doe-eyed face.

"You didn't answer my question," I giggled shallowly.

"Well, I'm the VP of the Material Planning Division and Yotsuba Homes."

"Oh, wow! You must be very important, then!"

"Yeah, I am important. They couldn't get along without me."

"Really?" I put an expression of awe on my face, and his arm tightened around me.

Just then, Matsuda kicked the door open. _Thank you, Matsuda, for your perfect timing!_Drunkenly staggering across the room, Matsuda waved.

"Hi, everyone!" He slurred. "Everyone havin' fun? Goohd."

He stopped by the balcony. "Now, what you've all been waitin' for, the Taro Matsui show!"

With that, he jumped up onto the railing of the balcony, flipping over into a headstand. Everyone jumped to their feet, horrified expressions on their faces. The man's arm slipped off my waist, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing?"

"Get down from there! You're drunk!"

"It's fine! I do this all the time-" Matsuda lost his balance and fell, his body descending quickly out of sight as he screamed. A few seconds later, and audible thud could be heard from the street below.

Some of the girls shrieked; below, a woman screeched in alarm. The men quickly filed out of the room, muttering anxiously amongst themselves. A few seconds later, the other women departed as well. Soon, the only people left were Olivia, Misa, and me. Misa turned to face me, wiping her brow.

"Phew! That was a stressful night, wasn't it?" She peered closer at me.

"Oh my gosh! Jay-chan, is that you?"

"Yeah," I sighed.

"I didn't know you were here! Oh, I haven't seen you in ages! And who is this?"

"I'm Olivia, Jay's friend."

"How nice! Now, Jay-chan, how are you and Ryuzaki doing?"

_Oh, no. Not again!_

"Uh-" I stuttered, my face turning bright red. "Misa, we were never dating."

"You weren't?" She asked, her face falling.

"No," I sighed.

"But then why would Light-kun have told me that you were?"

"He was joking, Misa."

"No…why would he joke about that? It must be true. So…has Ryuzaki kissed you yet?" A conspiratorial smile broke across her face.

"Um…we have to go. See you later, Misa!" I called as I dragged Olivia out of the room.

"Aww…I wanted to talk with her some more," Olivia complained as we slipped into the elevator.

"Well, you can do that without me. I am not spending another minute with Misa 'have-you-two-kissed-yet' Amane."

The elevator arrived at headquarters, and Olivia and I rushed out, to find Matsuda standing in the middle of the room, looking disheveled and wiping sweat off his brow.

"Matsuda! You're all right!" Olivia ran over, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"Oh…hi, Olivia-chan," Matsuda choked.

"Olivia…I think you're strangling him," I called, stepping farther into the room. Olivia loosened her hold, stepping back and blushing as red as her hair.

"Oh…sorry, Matsuda…"

"It's okay." Matsuda scratched his head, and then looked up at me. His eyes widened.

"Jay-chan?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Uh…nothing…You just look so…different."

I shrugged. "You can thank Olivia. Personally, I can't wait to get all this stuff off of my face. In fact…I'll go and do that, now."

Sighing, I headed back over to the elevator, punching the call button. The doors slid open.

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay, Matsuda," I called back as I stepped into the elevator.

"Um, thanks," he muttered, scratching his head again. As the doors closed, I caught a glimpse of L's face. His eyes were locked on mine, a piece of cake frozen halfway to his lips.

The doors slammed shut. _Geez…why were those two staring at me?_I shrugged, stepping onto our floor, heading towards our room.

In the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. _Whoa…wait a second…_

A stranger's reflection stared back at me. Her hair glistened, the darkness of it making her face seem as pale as cotton. Her eyes, a deep blue color, were made even more vivid by her mascara and eye shadow. Light blush and other makeup made her face seem smooth and defined; her painted lips were neither too dark nor too pale, and had just the right smoothness to them.

I poked my cheek; in the mirror, the stranger copied me.

"What the hell did she put on my face?" I muttered to myself. The reflection's mouth moved with mine; it was me, and yet…

_Whatever it is, it's probably made with bat poop…_

With that happy thought, I reached for a washcloth, eager to have my old face back again.

**Author's Note: Woot! I'm on a roll! Show your appreciation by Reviewing! Yes! Reviewing with a capital R! And you know, when something's capitalized, that usually means that it's important… ;)**


	18. Rat

Jay's POV

"No, we still don't have anything…" L sighed into the phone. The task force was gathered around the monitors, waiting impatiently for the first glimpse into Yotsuba headquarters. The screens fuzzed with static, occasionally broken by a flash of color.

"Maybe something's wrong with the equipment," Olivia suggested, leaning closer to Light's computer monitor. On her shoulder, Near squeaked quietly, sliding closer to Olivia's neck. Light glanced at the rat, saying nothing.

"No…it's probably just a problem with- ah, there we go," Ryuzaki stated.

The static had completely disappeared, replaced with a crystal-clear image of the meeting room inside Yotsuba headquarters. Seven men sat around a circular table, lit from above by bright, naturally-colored lights. I shuddered as I recognized the brown-haired, mustached man as my 'admirer' from the reception.

"If we _ever_ meet again…" I muttered, squeezing my root beer can.

"I'm sorry; did you say something, Jay-chan?" L asked, flipping his phone closed.

"No," I said innocently.

"Hang on…weren't there supposed to be eight of them?" Mr. Yagami asked.

"Yes, why?"

"There are only seven!"

"Do you think…?" Matsuda trailed off.

"They killed him."

L turned up the volume on the monitor, broadcasting the Yotsuba employees' voices through the room.

"- Hatori's death was…unfortunate, but necessary. After that, I think we all know what will happen to us if we try to get out of these meetings."

"Agreed."

"So…who should we kill next?"

There was a collective gasp around the room.

"See! It's just like I told you!" Matsuda exclaimed.

"How can they discuss this so calmly? It's disgusting," Mr. Yagami growled.

"This is not good…" L trailed off.

"Listen to this…Kira…deaths by accident…death by disease…controlling the times of death…it's just like we suspected!" Light announced.

"With these recordings, and Matsuda's testimony, we probably have enough evidence to put all seven of them in jail," Mr. Yagami declared.

"Unfortunately, we have to wait until the people that they are planning to kill actually die."

"What?" Light turned on L. "Ryuzaki, how can you say that? We have to prevent these deaths!"

"In order to catch Kira, we will need solid proof," L stated. Light's eyes narrowed.

"He's right," I put in. "Plus, we still don't know which of these men is Kira."

"…Okay. Ryuzaki, if one of these men is Kira, then if I called one of them, the chances of that person being Kira would be one in seven, right?" Light asked.

"It's possible that there could be more than one Kira among them," Ryuzaki declared. "I would say that the odds would be two in seven at the most."

"If we're planning on letting Yotsuba know that we're catching up to them…" Light sighed. "Ryuzaki, I'm going to borrow the name, 'L.' Based on their conversation, the Yotsuba employee least likely to be Kira, but with the most influence is…"

"Namikawa," L announced.

"Namikawa," Light stated.

"Namikawa," I couldn't resist adding.

"Ooi!" Matsuda declared, standing up energetically. Everyone turned to look at him; Mr. Yagami raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…sorry…" Matsuda blushed, scratching his head nervously.

"If you want to make a call," L said, turning back to Light, "use this phone over here. It's set up so that it can't be traced or tapped."

Light nodded, picking up the phone, punching in a number. On the screen, Namikawa reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone.

"_Hello?"_

"Is this Reiji Namikawa, the Vice President of Sales in the Yotsuba corporation?"

"_Yes, and who is this?"_

"Listen carefully, but don't draw attention to yourself. I am L." I started, hearing Light speak those words. It reminded me uncomfortably of the second arc of the Death Note manga; during that time, Light actually _was_ L.

_Well, with any luck, that will never happen,_I thought to myself. _No, luck has nothing to do with it. I won't let it happen!_

_**Hey, Jay. You all right? **_Olivia asked.

_Yeah, I'm fine. I…Just hearing Light say that…_

_**I know. Me too.**_

_I had kind of forgotten. Getting to know Light personally…I almost forgot who he really is._

_**Be careful, Jay. We can't underestimate him.**_

_I know. It'll probably be easier once Light has gotten his memories back._

_**Yeah, probably.**_

Light had finished his call to Namikawa; the Yotsuba employee had now convinced his partners to delay the deaths of their rivals.

"That went well," L stated.

"Yeah," Light sighed.

"You know, Light, that was pretty amazing. Not only did you manage to delay the deaths, but Namikawa could now be a potential mole for us. Plus, you thought of this plan quicker than I did. At this rate, you could take over as L, if I happened to die for some reason."

"What?" Light gasped.

"You are certainly capable of it. What do you think, Light? If I died, would you take over for me as L?"

"Ryuzaki!" I burst out, my lungs constricting. Fear raced through me like wildfire. "Don't talk like that! You are _not_ going to die!" _I won't let you die!_

_**Jay! Calm down! **_Olivia called telepathically. _**It's just L's plan, to see if Light is really Kira or not, remember?**_

_Oh…right…_ I took a sip of root beer to calm myself down, my heart pumping frantically. My distress was not unnoticed by L; he swiveled around in his chair, giving me a long, calculating look. I met his gaze emotionlessly, without flinching, my breathing slow. Not for the first time, I wondered what L was thinking; it was impossible to read his expression.

Finally, Ryuzaki dropped his gaze as Light began to speak.

"I get it, Ryuzaki. You still suspect me of being Kira; this was your way of trying to figure out if I'm pretending to be innocent or not!"

"That's correct," L shrugged, turning back to his computer. Light swiveled Ryuzaki's chair back again to face him, looking the detective directly in the eyes.

"Do I seem like I would be Kira to you? Do you really see me as that kind of person?"

"Yes. I thought that at the beginning of the case, and I still think it now."

There was no warning. One second, both men were simply looking at each other; the next, Light's fist was in L's face, and Ryuzaki's foot was on Light's cheek.

"Okay, break it up!" Matsuda forced the two apart. "It was a draw, so leave it alone!"

"Very well," L grumbled, turning back to his monitor.

"Fine," Light growled, wiping his bruised cheek and sitting on his chair. Olivia and I glanced at each other, rolling our eyes as we stepped closer to the monitors.

Olivia didn't notice as Near, chattering softly, scuttled across her shoulder towards Light. As the rat eyed the man, a malicious gleam lit in his eye. Light noticed this, and surreptitiously tried to scoot away from him.

_Olivia? _I asked.

_**Hm?**_

_Why is Near acting so weird?_

_**What?**_

At that moment, Near pounced. Flying off of Olivia's shoulder, claws outstretched, the rat landed squarely on Light's face. The man's eyes popped. Falling backwards off of his chair, Light yelled, the sound echoing through the room.

"Ohmygod! N-Leer!" Olivia screeched, barely remembering to use Near's fake name as she ran forward. But, before she could touch him, Light leapt to his feet, running wildly, his hands clawing at the rat on his face.

"Get it off me! _Get it off me!_"

"Don't hurt him!" Olivia gave chase, racing after the hysterical man. Light picked up speed, sprinting as fast as he could, hands splayed out wildly. The chain connecting Light and Ryuzaki tightened. Suddenly, L was yanked from his perch on his chair, tea spilling onto the floor. The unfortunate detective was pulled through the air by the handcuffs, spoon still clenched in his hand.

"Light! What is the matter!" Mr. Yagami shouted.

"Get it _off!_" Light screeched in a very un-manlike manner.

"That's what I'm trying to do; just stop running!" Olivia screamed at him.

Near, shaken loose by Light's flight, dug his claws into the man's skin, then buried his teeth in the nose for good measure.

"Aaaugh!" Light yelled. "It _bit_ me!" He ran even faster, narrowly missing crashing into the sofa.

"You're scaring him!" Olivia tried to grab Light's shoulder, but missed.

"Would Light-kun _please_ stop running now!" Ryuzaki shouted, his legs flying wildly behind him as he was dragged.

I stepped in, setting my root beer on the counter. Standing slightly to the side of Light's path, I grabbed the stubborn rat from Light's face as he ran by. A small flake of skin parted company with Light's nose, stuck in Near's mouth.

"Leer!" Olivia squealed, running up to me and taking the rodent from my hands. "Oh, thank god, you're all right!"

Light ran up to the wall, where he collapsed, holding his face and breathing heavily. Ryuzaki fell to the floor, skidding slightly before coming to a halt at my feet.

"Light!" Mr. Yagami ran up to his son. "Are you all right?"

"I…I think I'm bleeding…" Light stammered, touching his nose and checking it for blood.

"Here." I offered L a hand as he began to get to his feet. He looked at my hand for a second, then took it, rising into his familiar slouch.

"What on earth is the matter with you?" Mr. Yagami asked.

"I…I just don't like…rodents." Light shuddered, staggering to his feet.

"Wha-at? How could you _not_ love Leer?" Olivia clutched the rat to her chest, eyes wide. "He's so cute!"

"Just…just keep him away from me, okay?" Light put a hand to his nose, wincing. "I really hope he's had his rabies shots…"

"Of course he has! What kind of an owner do you think I am?"

"Um…Ryuzaki…" I coughed.

"Yes, Jay-chan?" He asked, turning to me.

"Is it all right if I have my hand back, now?"

"…Ah." Glancing down, L realized that my hand was still firmly gripped in his. He quickly let go. "My apologies."

I shook my head, my voice emotionless. "It's fine."

Inside, though, my stomach was spinning.

**Author's Note: Yayz! I've been thinking about writing that scene in for a while, now…and it turned out great! :D Next chapter should be up soon, but, while you're waiting…Don't forget to Review!**


	19. Stairs and Elevators

Abo's POV

_Aaaahhh…Nothing like a cup of coffee to start your day…_

Abo sighed contentedly as he brought the mug to his lips, draining half the liquid in one swallow. Almost immediately, the caffeine began to start its work; Abo's mind shook off its blanket of sleepiness as he picked up the newspaper sitting next to the saucer. The headline, read, "New Kira Victims Found In Prisons Worldwide."

_I doubt that I'll ever get used to seeing_that _headline…_With a snort and a small shake of his head, Abo opened the paper, scanning the printed figures for other news. He ignored the stares from the other hotel residents; he was used to them. After all, his style of sitting _was_ pretty unusual; it was the inspiration for L's sitting style.

_I wonder how Olivia and Jay are getting along…_Abo felt a twinge of jealousy as he remembered the girls. He almost wished that he could be with them, interacting with his characters.

_Stop it,_he told himself. _The girls need someone on the outside to help them. Besides, how would you react, coming face to face with your own characters?_

_Touché,_Abo thought to himself, shaking his head and closing his eyes briefly. He reached inside his jacket pocket, stroking the binding of 'Death Note #13,' as if to reassure himself that it was still there. It was a nervous habit that he had picked up over the past few weeks.

Finding nothing of interest in the paper, he folded it, finished his coffee, and stood up to leave. As he walked out of the hotel's dining area, he replaced the paper on top of a counter. He strode over to the elevator, pushing the call button lightly. The elevator dinged, doors sliding open. Abo slipped into the deserted elevator, pushing the button for his floor.

_I must admit, this 'outside' work is rather dull…Although I _am _doing my part to help Olivia and Jay, it seems as though I could be doing more for them…_

_Stop sulking,_he told himself. _You're doing all that you can do right now. You'll just have to wait until after L's life is saved to get further involved._

Absorbed in his thoughts, Abo stepped out of the elevator. He meandered down the long corridor, hands clasped behind his back. Turning a corner, Abo slipped a hotel card key out of his pocket, sliding it into a door on the left-hand side of the hallway. The lock beeped, clicking open. Abo turned the handle, stepping into his hotel room. Shaking his long hair out of his eyes, he replaced the card key, closing the door behind him.

As he walked further into the room, Abo caught a glimpse of a black smudge out of the corner of his eye. As he turned his head, the blur solidified into the figure of a bespectacled, elderly man, wearing a black suit and bowling hat. He was pointing a small handgun directly at Abo's chest. Abo froze. He knew that if this man shot, he would not miss.

Meeting the man's eyes, Abo was struck with an overwhelming sensation of recognition. _I know you, _Abo thought. _Whammy…Watari!_

"What are you doing here?" The question escaped Abo's lips before he had a chance to think over the words. Watari raised an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to come with me, young man."

Abo barked out a laugh. There was something funny about being called 'young man' by your own character.

"I'm sorry. Have I done something wrong?"

"Not that I know of. I only wish to ask you a few questions."

Abo smiled. _Amazing…that's exactly what I would have had him say, if this were a novel._

"Well, then, by all means, ask your questions." Abo crouched at the foot of his bed, looking more at ease than he really felt.

Watari looked at him suspiciously. Abo sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm not going to run away," Abo stated. "After all, even I can't outrun a bullet. And, I'm pretty sure that there's nobody else listening…"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Watari motioned with the gun for Abo to stand up. Abo sighed, nodding.

"I knew you'd say that." And with that, Abo leaped for the door. Wrenching open the handle, he sprinted out into the corridor, a dart silently burrowing itself into the wall beside him.

_So…he has darts, not bullets, plus a silencer…_Abo picked up the pace, heading for the staircase. _He's planning to capture me alive, then…That's good to know._

Bursting into the stairwell, Abo bounced down the stairs, breathing heavily.

_I knew that I'd regret those doughnuts…_Watari was steadily gaining, barely looking out of breath. _Why did I have to make him so physically fit?_

Finally, Abo sprinted out into the street, dodging early-morning shoppers and other pedestrians.

_No matter what happens, I can't let him get his hands on the book…_

_Or…I could do _that_…_

Abo veered into an alleyway…which turned out to be a dead end.

_Sorry about this, Olivia, _Abo thought to himself. He turned to face Watari, a determined look in his eye. _I'm afraid that it's necessary…_

Jay's POV

"Hey, where are you two going?"

L and Light paused, halfway up the stairs. "To Amane's room," L stated, bringing a thumb to his mouth. "I have a plan, but we will need her help in order for it to work."

"Do you mind if we tag along?"

"Olivia!" I turned on her, hissing, "I'm not going up _there_!"

L, noticing our dilemma, shrugged. He resumed his climb up the stairs, pulling Light behind him. "Do as you wish."

"Look, you know that if I go up there, she's going to start bugging me again about the 'relationship.'"

"Well, do what you like. _I'm_ going up there." And with that, Olivia turned to follow the geniuses. Annoyed, I plopped myself down onto one of the couches, pulling out my laptop and typing away on it furiously. In the background, I could hear the footsteps getting farther and farther away. Muddled voices echoed down through the stairwell; I picked out L's voice first, then Olivia's, followed by Light's.

"Damn it." With a huff, I closed my laptop, pushing it to the side and standing up. I walked over to the elevator, muttering, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"Hey, Jay-chan!" Matsuda turned to face me. "Where are you going?"

"The torture chamber."

"What?"

I grimaced as the doors slid shut, cutting off my view of the room. I regretfully pressed the button, and the elevator began to move upwards.

_I guess I'll just have to deal with her…Man; this is going to be painful…_

The elevator dinged, and I stepped out onto Misa's floor. Down the hall, outside the entrance to _her_ room, Light, L, and Olivia looked up in astonishment.

"I thought you said you weren't coming," Olivia said, looking confusedly at me as I approached.

"Yeah…I changed my mind."

Olivia noticed my reluctance. "It's all right, Jay-_chan_, I'll protect you from the nasty, scary Misa-"

"Shut _up_," I smiled, punching Olivia good-naturedly on the shoulder.

"Well, we'd better go in…" Light turned the handle, stepping into Misa's room.

A high pitched squeal came from inside the room. "Li-ight! I didn't know that we were having another date-"

As the full group stepped into the room, Misa's eyes immediately fell on me.

"Jay-chan!" With astounding speed, she flew across the room, grabbing me by the hand and dragging me over to the couch.

"Olivia, didn't you say something about _protecting_ me-" My cry for help was cut off as Misa pulled me onto the furniture, knocking the wind out of me.

"So, Jay-chan, tell me," Misa began as I tried to get my breath back, "what's happened since we last talked? Don't tell me that Ryuzaki is _still_ dragging his feet!"

"Ah…I…uh…" I coughed. "Actually, Misa, I believe that Ryuzaki came up here to talk to you."

"Well, I want to talk to you, first! Something happened between you two, didn't it? Didn't it? I can tell!"

"Actually, Misa…um…" I blushed, remembering the accidental 'hand-holding.' "Nothing's happened."

"Oh, don't be shy, Jay-chan. I saw you two holding hands down in H.Q…." Light grinned. I shot a glare at him, ignoring Misa's squealing.

"You _really_ hate me, don't you?"

"May I remind Light-kun that it was an accident and that the action had no romantic intent whatsoever," L quickly stated.

"Oh, _please_, Ryuzaki! How can you hold hands by accident?" Misa sighed, clasping her hands together. "I can see it now…You two are perfect for each other!"

"I've been saying that this whole time…"

"Don't make me start on you, Olivia! Now, Ryuzaki, didn't you want to talk to Misa about something?"

"Yes, I did."

"Oh, fine," Misa huffed, turning towards Ryuzaki. "Go ahead."

I saw my chance. I silently slipped off of the sofa, creeping around it as L began to speak.

"Misa Amane, you are in love with Light, correct?"

"Uh…yeah. Of course."

"But, you also worship Kira, right?"

"Ye-es…"

"So, if you had to choose between Light and Kira, who would you pick?"

"What? I'd pick Light, of course!" To emphasize her devotion, Misa leaped up from the couch, snuggling up to her 'boyfriend.' "As much as I want to meet Kira, what I feel for Light is true love! And you can't deny true love, _right, Jay-chan?_"

I sighed. "Of course not, Misa."

"You see?" Misa turned on L. "You two should stop denying each other!"

L and I exchanged glances, as if to say, 'she's never going to give this up, is she?' I rolled my eyes, and Ryuzaki continued, his tone slightly less patient.

"But you are aware that Light is working to catch Kira, yes? Now what will you do?"

"Well, if that's what Light wants to do, then I'll support him, of course!"

"I see…so, if you were given the opportunity to work with him to catch Kira, would you take it?"

"Of course I would! I'd do anything to help Light!"

"Wait, hold on a second. Where are you going with this?" Light asked anxiously.

"I'm planning to have Aiber pose as Eraldo Coil. He'll tell the Yotsuba group that while he was investigating L, he discovered that Misa Amane had been taken in for questioning as the second Kira. Therefore, she might know who L is. Seeing as Yotsuba may already be considering her as their new spokesperson, thanks to Matsuda's mistake, they will use this opportunity to question her, under the ruse of meeting to discuss their advertising campaign."

"What?" Misa cocked her head to one side, eyes blank.

"We can't do that, Ryuzaki! It's too risky for Misa," Light complained.

"Aww! You really do care about me, Light!" Misa snuggled closer to Light's chest. "But don't worry. I don't mind doing something like this if it's for you, Light!"

"But, Misa, if Yotsuba suspects that you know who L is, we don't know how far they will be willing to go to get that information."

"I won't say anything, I promise!"

"I still don't like the sound of this…" Light protested.

"We're running out of time. This is the only plan we have. Besides, I know that Misa's bravery and devotion to you will make her the perfect person for this job," L stated.

"Do you really mean that? Aww, you're so sweet!" Misa turned to me. "You're so lucky, Jay-chan, to have a guy like that!"

L and I sighed in tandem, exchanging glances.

_Why the heck did I even come up here?_

**Author's Note: Sorry about the cliff hanger with Abo…Don't worry; you'll find out soon enough! :D**

**Please Review!**


	20. Nightmare

Jay's POV

"She did _what?_"

Light's angry shout echoed across the room, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"What is it, Light-kun?"

I turned to see Light angrily flipping his cell phone shut.

"Misa snuck out on a date with one of the Yotsuba members."

"_What?_" Mr. Yagami barked. "Does she know how much danger she's in right now?"

"I knew that we should have put a tracking device or something on her!" Light's voice, though angry, was filled with worry. He opened his cell phone again, typing in Misa's number. After a few seconds, he swore loudly.

"Her cell phone's off!"

"Well, seeing as how we have no way to contact her, and that we have no idea which member she's with…" L took a sip of tea. "I think that the best course of action would be to let her come back in her own time."

"How can you say that, Ryuzaki? She could be with Kira right now!"

"I am aware of that. However, at the moment, there is nothing that we can do except wait."

So we waited. And waited. _And waited._

"Geez, what is _taking_ her so long," I muttered out loud. "It's almost eleven."

Olivia looked up in surprise.

"Is that _worry_ I hear in your voice, Jay?"

"What? No, I'm not worried-"

"Oh, I think you are. Maybe _someone's_ gotten a little bit fond of Misa-"

"Me? Fond of Misa? No way; she's bloody annoying…"

L snorted, then hastily turned it into a cough.

Suddenly, the elevator doors opened, revealing Misa in a nurse's outfit. She looked extremely pleased with herself.

"Misa!" Light immediately stood up, dragging Ryuzaki out of his chair as he rushed over to her. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I am! I'm so happy that you were worried about me, though!"

Misa embraced Light, then pulled out her cell phone.

"Guess what I've got?" Without waiting for an answer, she pushed a button on her phone. A male voice instantly was broadcasted through the speaker.

"_All right, Misa. I'm Kira. So, in order to gain your trust, and to prove that I really am who I say I am, I'll stop killing criminals for the time being. Then, once you're convinced that I am Kira, you and I can get married!"_

Everyone in the room gasped in unison. Misa grinned.

"So, based on what he said, Higuchi is Kira!"

"Higuchi?" Mr. Yagami growled.

"All right! Now, not only do we know who Kira is, but all of the killings are going to stop! That's amazing, Misa-Misa!" Matsuda laughed.

"Well, I _am_ pretty awesome, aren't I?" Misa flipped her hair, stepping closer to Light and hugging him. I yawned pointedly, all the tension draining out of me.

"Well…I'm going to bed. 'Night, everyone…" I called as I stood up.

There were a few "'Night, Jay-chan"-s as the elevator doors closed behind me.

_Red light. The whole building was lit by red light. Thunder from the storm outside made the floors shake, reminiscent of an earthquake. Suddenly, I was standing inside Room 25, the electrical equipment on the metal shelves silent as the grave. Rem stood in the middle of the room, scrawling franticly in the notebook even as she began to disintegrate. I sprinted towards her, my arm outstretched, but I passed through her body like smoke. She turned to me, her purple eyes locked on mine._

"_It is too late," she said. "I have already written both of their names in the notebook."_

_A shiver of fear raced through me._

_I was transported to the main headquarters' room. Everyone was standing around Ryuzaki's computer, staring intently at the screen. I could easily read the words on the computer, not that I needed to. "All Data Deletion."_

_Ryuzaki was saying something; I leaned closer, my heart pounding in my chest._

"_Everyone! The shiniga-"He broke off, his eyes widening. His body seized up; a spoon fell from his hand and clattered to the floor, even as L himself was falling._

"_No…" I raced to Ryuzaki's side, catching him as he fell. Our eyes met, mine filled with tears._

"_I'm…I'm so sorry," I choked out, whole body shaking. "I tried to stop her…I tried…"_

_A small smile crossed L's lips. "I…do not blame you…Jay."_

_My eyes widened as he said my name without the honorific. Slowly, as though every inch that he moved pained him, L raised his hand toward my face. His fingers touched my cheek, briefly. Shocked, my gaze locked on his face. His eyes, though laced with pain, showed tenderness for a few brief moments. Then, Ryuzaki's eyes closed, and his hand fell to the ground as his breath left him._

"No…"

'_Ryuzaki!' I shook his shoulder franticly, my sight blurring. 'L! Wake up, damn it! Wake up!'_

_He didn't move._

"No…"

'_You can't just leave me like this! Don't you dare do this to me!'_

_Through my pain, I heard the sound of laughter coming from over my shoulder. In shock, I turned to see Light standing behind me, a gleeful expression on his face. He triumphantly gazed down on the body of his adversary, mouth twisted in a grotesque grin._

'_Now…it begins,' he laughed. 'I_will be_the god of the new world! No one can stop me now!'_

"No…No…No!"

I sat up violently in bed, my chest heaving. My throat was raw and tight; I didn't know if it was from screaming or crying. The light flickered on in the bedroom as I pulled my knees up to my chest.

"Jay, are you all right?" I was faintly aware of Olivia sitting on the bed next to me. I slowly caught my breath, head buried in my knees.

"Nightmare," I managed to choke out, wiping the tears from my eyes and sniffling.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Instead of responding verbally, I simply spoke telepathically. My throat felt too sore for me to talk.

_It was Episode 25…I tried to stop Rem from writing their names, but my hand just went through her, like she wasn't even there…And then, he died. Right in front of me._

_**Oh, Jay…**_Olivia put her hand around my shoulder.

_I felt so powerless…I couldn't do anything…It was just like when I saw it for the first time, only worse. A thousand times worse. _I felt myself shake just thinking about it.

_**It's not going to happen, Jay. We're here; we know what's going to happen, and we can prevent it!**_

_But what if my hand just passes through her again?_

_**It won't.**_

_But how do you know?_

_**It just won't. Remember, in the anime, Rem and Misa were able to make contact. Why shouldn't it be the same now?**_

…_You're right._

Olivia yawned, and I forced my tight throat to work. "We should probably go back to sleep."

"Are you sure?"

I managed a nod. Olivia sighed, and then got up off the bed. I laid down again, my heart heavy. A few seconds later, the lights flickered off, and I heard Olivia get into her bed next to mine.

_What was that, just now? The dream…It was terrifying…_

_Except for that one part…_

_I know that nightmares are supposed to bring out your inner fears. I'm obviously dreading L dying; there's no doubt about that._

_But what about…that? Is that a fear as well? Am I afraid that L could have…that Olivia was right after all?_

_No. It's not fear. That's not the right word for it. It was just as intense, but less…dark._

_Could it be…? Am I…?_

**Author's Note: Aww! So…beautiful…*cries***

**Sorry if I freaked anybody out with the dream sequence!**

**Don't forget to Review!**


	21. Plans

Olivia's POV

_I was standing in a white, brightly-lit room. As I walked forward, I felt the ground give slightly as I put my weight on the floor. I looked down, to see that the entire floor was made of white puzzle pieces._

Wow, it must have taken someone a long time to put all of these pieces together, _I thought. I took a few more steps, feeling the ridges between the puzzle pieces with my bare feet._

_Up ahead, I spotted someone sitting on a large dice in the middle of the floor. They were facing away from me, but I instantly recognized the profile. I sped up, a smile crossing my face._

"_Near!" I called out. The person turned around, sliding off the dice as he did so. My heart lurched as I saw his face; I had missed him._

"_Olivia," he stated emotionlessly. Despite his tone, I could tell that he was as pleased to see me as I was to see him. As I got closer, I noticed that something about Near had changed. On his chest, right above his heart, was an oddly-shaped black hole._

"_Near, what's that on your chest?" I asked as I stopped in front of him._

"_I'm missing a puzzle piece," he declared, twirling a piece of his white hair._

"_Missing a-"I broke off. To my surprise, the hole really_did_look like a puzzle piece. Slipping a hand into the pocket of my skirt, I pulled out the piece that Near had given to me when I left Whammy's. Studying it, I noticed_ _that it had a shape similar to the hole in Near's chest. Holding it up to his torso, I pushed the piece into the hole. It fit perfectly. There was a flash of light, and the puzzle piece melded into Near's form, sealing the hole._

_Confused, I looked up into Near's eyes._Wait a minute…up? _I realized that Near now stood a few inches taller than me._

"_Did you have a growth spurt, or something?"_

_Near's mouth twitched. I grinned back._

"Noooooooo!"

A loud shout woke me from my sleep. I sat up, heart pounding.

"Jay?" Panicking, I flicked on the light in our room. Jay was tossing and turning in her bed, face set in a grimace, tears streaming from her eyes. With a gasp, she sat up, breathing heavily.

"Jay, are you all right?" I sat down on the side of her bed as she pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her head on her knees.

"Nightmare," she muttered, her voice hoarse.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

After a few seconds of silence, I heard Jay's voice in my head.

_**It was Episode 25…I tried to stop Rem from writing their names, but my hand just went through her, like she wasn't even there…And then, he died. Right in front of me.**_I could hear the sadness in her voice. My heart ached in sympathy.

_Oh, Jay…_ I put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly.

_**I felt so powerless…I couldn't do anything…It was just like when I saw it for the first time, only worse. A thousand times worse. **_

_It's not going to happen, Jay. We're here; we know what's going to happen, and we can prevent it!_

_**But what if my hand just passes through her again?**_

_It won't._

_**But how do you know?**_

_It just won't. Remember, in the anime, Rem and Misa were able to make contact. Why shouldn't it be the same now?_

…**_You're right._**

I yawned softly, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

"We should probably go back to sleep," Jay muttered.

"Are you sure?" She nodded, her eyes hidden by her hair. I sighed, standing up resignedly and turning off the lights. As I got back into bed, my thoughts were swirling.

The next morning, Jay and I sat in our usual spots on the sofas in the task force headquarters, rubbing our eyes and yawning tiredly. L was talking with Wedy, munching happily on a pastry.

"All right then, forget the house. Instead, I want you to place wire taps, trackers, and cameras into each of Higuchi's cars."

"_What? After coming this far? Do you know how difficult it is to break into someone's house? Besides, do you know how many cars this guy has?"_

As Wedy spoke, Watari entered the room, wheeling a cart filled with ice cream, éclairs, cookies, and other sweets. Jay and I glanced at each other, breaking into silent giggles.

"I believe he has six cars…mmmm…" L grabbed another sweet from the cart. "Thank you, Watari…"

"_Fine. I'll get started on that right away."_

"Very well." L disconnected the link, chewing on an éclair musingly.

Jay's voice broke through the silence. "I can tell that you're planning something, Ryuzaki. Mind sharing your thoughts with the class?"

L wheeled around in his swivel chair, the last of the éclair disappearing into his mouth.

"I think…" L licked the chocolate off of his fingers. "I'm going to trick Higuchi using Sakura T.V."

"Oh, like a hidden camera show!" Matsuda grinned.

"Huh?" Misa looked confused.

"Sakura T.V. airs a 'Kira Special' every week. We'll book a time-slot in the show, and announce that Kira's identity will be revealed at the end of the special."

"But…would anyone actually believe that? Sakura T.V. isn't known for being truthful, after all," Mr. Yagami stated.

"And besides…there's no guarantee that he'll be watching T.V. when the show's on," Matsuda put in.

"Why don't we get Namikawa to call Higuchi when the program airs? He could say, 'This is bad. Turn on the T.V.,' or something like that," Jay announced, taking a sip of root beer.

"And Higuchi will buy it, once he realizes that the 'special guest' on T.V. is someone who knows his secret," Light added.

"Oh, I see," Matsuda exclaimed. "We'll be using Aiber, then!"

"No, I'm afraid we won't be using Aiber…aaahm." L dropped a cookie into his mouth. "Whoever appears on the show must be someone that Huguchi thinks he will be able to kill, whose name he can look up easily."

"But we're never going to find someone like that!"

Everybody looked musingly at Matsuda. A nervous expression crossed his face.

"What?"

"It's you, Matsuda," I told him, rolling my eyes slightly.

"You're the only person who can do this," Light pointed out. "Higuchi probably thinks that you were listening in on Yotsuba's confidential meetings, so it makes sense that you would be the one to reveal his secret."

"Exactly. We'll have Sakura T.V. use a voice filter and frosted glass to hide your identity. Higuchi will probably realize who you are from the silhouette. But, just to make sure, we can arrange to have the T.V. studio mess up, and reveal your face from behind the glass," L stated.

"To put Higuchi under pressure, we can have the T.V. announcer say that Kira's identity will be revealed at the end of the show. He'll feel cornered, and, that way, we can anticipate his actions," Light put in.

"And after we see how he kills, we can arrest him," Jay concluded, taking a long sip of root beer. Matsuda was rooted to the spot, sweating profusely.

"Of course, we have to wait for two or three days before we can put the plan into motion," L pointed out. "We need to make sure that criminals stop dying, and that Higuchi wasn't lying to Misa about being Kira. Until then, Matsuda, you can decide whether you want to do this or not."

Matsuda gulped. A determined look settled into his eyes, and he took a step forward. "I don't need two or three days. I _want_ to do this."

Jay raised an eyebrow, exchanging glances with me. _**I have to admit…he's being really brave about this…**_

_Yeah…he sure decided quickly…_I tilted my head to one side, smiling. _Well, that's Matsuda for you…_

**Author's Note: Higuchi's chase is up next! :DD Wow, this is going really fast…But, don't worry! It's not over yet!**

**Don't forget to Review!**


	22. Chase

Jay's POV

"There he goes!"

Everyone looked up at the screen above the computers, which showed an animated version of Higuchi's garage. As we watched, one of the cars in the garage turned bright red, signifying that Higuchi had started the engine. A small tag, reading 'Higuchi,' appeared below the car, even as it pulled out into the street. Suddenly, a small green dot, reading 'Wedy,' appeared behind Higuchi.

"_I see Higuchi."_Wedy's voice came out of the computer. _"He only has a single bag with him, and he's driving a red sports car. I am in pursuit."_

"Everything is still going according to plan," Light muttered. His voice echoed around the unusually empty room.

_Geez, it's weird, not having Mogi, Mr. Yagami, or Matsuda here,_Olivia thought at me.

_Yeah…_

On a side screen, the Sakura T.V. broadcast continued.

"_Next thing you know, I'm drinking with all eight of them in a hotel room!"_

The announcer laughed. _"Well, that's hilarious!"_

"_But, if I tell you any more, I'm afraid that some of the members might figure out which one of them is Kira, so I'll leave it at that, for now."_

"_Of course. Take all the time you need."_

_Keep up the good work, Matsuda,_I thought. _You're doing great._

"As expected, Higuchi's watching the broadcast in his car. It looks like he doesn't want to miss even a second of it," Light announced. One of the side screens flickered to life, showing a view of Higuchi inside his car. His eyes were narrowed, his teeth clenched. His gaze flickered from the road to the miniature T.V. implanted in his dashboard. He was obviously terrified.

"_Rem, what do you think?"_Higuchi's voice burst out of the computer's speaker. My head snapped up.

"Rem? Who's that?"

"There _is_ nobody else inside the car, right?" Misa looked nervous.

"Could he be using a radio?"

"No," L stated, munching on a banana. "When Wedy planted the cameras and wire taps, she also checked for other devices that Higuchi might have planted. There weren't any."

"_Yeah. And, once I kill that guy on T.V., I should probably kill everyone else that I contacted tonight. That includes the president of Yoshida Productions, that manager guy, and Misa."_

"What? He's going to kill me?" A drop of sweat trickled down Misa's brow, eyes wide.

"I wouldn't worry. He's talking about doing that after he kills Matsuda, and we'll catch him before that happens," L put in reassuringly.

"_I didn't think you were that smart, Rem. You're right. I'll make them all erase the call histories from their phones before I kill them."_

"Okay, there is no way that he's just talking to himself. But, who is Rem? Who's he talking to?" Light sounded anxious.

"If Higuchi _is_ talking with someone else right now, it could be…" L peeled another banana. "…a Shinigami."

Misa gulped softly, her eyes wide.

"…Perhaps." Seemingly unconcerned, L took a large bite out of his banana.

On screen, Higuchi's car stopped in front of a large building.

"He's arrived at Yoshida Productions!"

We watched in silence as Higuchi entered the building. The screen switched, to show him kneeling by a filing cabinet, rummaging through papers.

"_Matsui…Matsui…"_ Suddenly, he stopped, pulling out a single file from the cabinet and opening it. Matsuda's fake name was clearly written at the top of the file.

"Now, Kira…show me how you kill…" L muttered to himself, leaning forward in his chair.

Higuchi pulled a small, black notebook out from his bag. Olivia and I exchanged glances, eyes wide.

_It's the Death Note…_

_**I know…This is so cool…**_

Higuchi scrawled Matsuda's fake name into the notebook, then replaced the file.

"_Ryuzaki, should we confront him?"_Mogi's voice was calm.

"Negative. He only wrote his name down," L sighed. "Maybe he's planning to do something in the car…Let's see Camera Number One again."

The view on the screen switched, showing Higuchi clambering back into his car. He pulled his keys out of his pocket, obviously not in any rush.

"Weird…You'd think that he'd want to kill Matsuda right this second, but he looks calm," Light observed.

"Yeah…Why doesn't he kill Matsuda, already?" Misa's voice wavered.

Higuchi was intently staring at his T.V., glancing at his watch every few seconds. Suddenly, he slammed his hands against the dashboard.

"_Damn it! He didn't die!"_

"What? He just said, 'He didn't die.'"

"Did he already try to kill Matsuda? Was writing his name down part of the ritual, or…" L trailed off, absorbed in thought.

"What should we do? Should we just keep watching what he's doing?"

Higuchi pulled out his cell phone, franticly punching in a number.

"What? Who's he calling?"

"It's probably Misa…" L was cut off as Misa's cell phone began to ring.

"Yup," Misa said as she checked the caller I.D., disconnecting the call with the push of a button.

Back in Higuchi's car, the Kira suspect violently pitched his cell phone into the back seat.

"_Fine, then. Rem…let's make the deal."_

"The deal? Who is this Rem person he keeps talking to?" Light's voice was filled with confusion.

"Whatever it is, we must keep watching him. If we take him now, we'll learn nothing. Remember, we still need to figure out how he kills his victims," L pointed out.

On the screen, Higuchi's face broke into a wide, toothy smile. I shuddered in revulsion.

_Man, that guy always creeped me out…_My lip curled slightly.

_**I know, right? Plus…his sideburns look like hairy caterpillars crawling up the sides of his face…**_

I barely kept myself from laughing. Suddenly, Higuchi's car began to move again.

"_We're heading after him,"_ Mogi announced.

A red light began to flash near Higuchi, and a loud, wailing siren came over the speakers.

"_Higuchi's been pulled over by a traffic cop. We're going to have to pass him,"_Wedy said.

"_You were speeding,"_the traffic cop told Higuchi. _"I'm going to have to see your license."_

"_Right…now, where did…I put…my license?"_Higuchi rummaged around in his car, surreptitiously slipping his hand into his bag. Without warning, he slammed his foot on the gas petal, and the car leapt forward.

"_Higuchi ditched the cop! We're going after him!"_ Mogi suddenly gasped.

"_The cop…he just rear-ended a truck; he's dead!"_

"He's dead? No way…"

"Everyone, listen up! It is too dangerous to allow Higuchi to continue any farther; we need to bring him in, now! I believe that the suspect now has the ability to kill just by looking at a person's face. Please, keep this in mind when you move in to arrest him!" L fired off the instructions rapidly, his voice intense.

"Watari, get the director of the NPA on the line!"

"_Right,"_Watari stated, and the screen on the computer switched to the NPA logo.

"_Hello?"_

"This is L. We are now aware of Kira's true identity. He is currently heading northwest on Highway Route One in a red sports car. My group will handle the arrest; in the meantime, please instruct all of your officers to refrain from approaching his car."

"_Very well,"_the director grunted, disconnecting the line.

_**Yay! Aizawa comes back tonight, doesn't he?**_Olivia sounded excited.

_I think so…_

_**Awesome! It was too quiet around here without him…**_

"Dad, during the next commercial, replace Matsuda and the announcer with dummies, like we planned," Light said.

"_Understood,"_Mr. Yagami muttered.

"All right then, Light. What do you say; should we go and join the fun, as well?"

"Sure," Light shrugged. L pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, quickly turning and slapping them on Misa.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Before she had a chance to complete her sentence, Misa was chained to her chair.

"I'm sorry to have to do this, Misa, but we need to restrain you for a little while."

"_What?_ But that's…Stop joking around! Hey, come back here!"

L and Light turned away from Misa, ignoring her protests at they began to walk towards the elevator.

"L," I called, standing up, a determined expression on my face. Beside me, Olivia stood as well. The two men paused, looking in our direction. After a few seconds, Ryuzaki sighed softly.

"Well, are you coming, or not?"

I broke into a broad grin. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"_Wha-at?"_ Misa let out an outburst of complaints. "Why does Ryuzaki's girlfriend get to go with him, but I don't get to go with my boyfriend? That's _so_ not fair! I'll get you back for this, Ryuzaki!"

"Let's go." We quickly stepped into the elevator, the doors cutting off Misa's rant.

Olivia sighed wearily. "She just _does not shut up_, does she?"

"No, she doesn't," Light muttered, passing a hand over his brow.

"Perhaps I should have gagged her as well…" L trailed off musingly, bringing a finger to his lips.

I laughed. "That'd be doing the world a favor…bloody chatterbox…"

**Author's Note: Coming up next…the Return of Kira! *creepy music plays* Run for your lives! (But, Review first!)**


	23. Return

Jay's POV

On the roof of the Kira Case Headquarters building, a single helicopter took off from the landing pad on the roof, the constant chopping of the blades recognizable to everyone on the ground. Inside the cockpit, the noise was overwhelming; everyone wore a headset, not only to hear what the forces on the ground were saying, but to hear what others in the helicopter were saying as well.

Ryuzaki piloted the helicopter, while Light sat next to him. Watari kneeled in the center of the aircraft, readying his rifle in case it should be needed. Olivia and I sat near the back in some passenger seats, completely thrilled and utterly terrified at the same time.

_**Maybe we should have stayed behind…**_Olivia thought at me nervously, clutching her seat with white-knuckled hands.

_And miss Higuchi's capture? No way!_

…**_You're right…but…this is my first time in a helicopter, so give me some slack…_**

_What, are you scared?_

_**Well…kinda…**_

_Don't worry. You just have to trust L's piloting skills, right?_

_**I guess…ugh…**_

_Maybe it would help if you closed your eyes…_

_**Yeah…hey, it does help!**_

_Good. I don't want you barfing on me halfway there._

_**Don't worry; I'm fine, now.**_

"Hey, Ryuzaki. I didn't know that you could pilot a helicopter. That's really impressive," Light noticed.

"Thank you."

"Hey, Higuchi isn't headed to Sakura T.V.! He's going the wrong way!"

L took a look at the screen in the front of the cockpit. "It looks like he's heading for the Yotsuba Main Office."

"Wedy, did you remove absolutely everything relating to Matsuda from the Yotsuba Office?" L spoke into his headset.

"_Yeah, why? Is he heading there now? Perfect; that should give me enough time to rendezvous with Mr. Yagami and set up the ambush at Sakura T.V."_

_Oh, wow…Olivia, you're missing a beautiful view of the city…_

_**Sorry. I'm not opening my eyes until we've landed.**_

_Well, you're missing out…wow…_

I stared out of the window for a few minutes, admiring the view. Suddenly, Light's voice brought me back to the present.

"Dad, Higuchi's leaving Yotsuba. He's heading towards Sakura T.V. Are you guys ready down there?"

"_Of course we are."_

"Okay…He'll be entering the building in a few minutes…"

"_Aiber and I are moving into position…"_Mogi announced over the headset. There was radio silence for several minutes. Even though I knew what the verdict would be, I still sat anxiously at the edge of my seat.

_Come on…come on…come on!_

Suddenly, Mogi's voice came in over the headset.

"_L, Higuchi has a gun on him! The chief's been shot! Higuchi's escaping!"_

"_I'm all right…"_Mr. Yagami's voice, though laced with pain, was still strong. _"Sorry, Ryuzaki…If we pursue him now, we should be able to catch him!"_

"This is bad! He's escaped from Sakura T.V.!" Light shouted over the sound of the helicopter's blades.

"Then we have no choice. We'll have to move in and apprehend him ourselves…Watari, are you ready?"

"Yes," Watari nodded, pulling the rifle from its casing. The helicopter sped up, easily weaving in and out of skyscrapers.

"I see them," I called, looking down at the highway below. As the helicopter circled, the chase came into plain view. A single red car sped along the highway at the head of the chase, with a white car and a black car in pursuit.

"What's that?"

Standing directly in the path of the chase was a cluster of police cars, which completely blocked off the road. Even from that altitude, I could tell that the vehicles had tinted windows.

_Hey, Olivia! Guess who showed up!_

_**I'm still not looking, Jay…**_

_Oh, come on! This aerial view of the chase is amazing!_

_**Nope. Sorry.**_

_But you're missing it!_

_**I've already seen it…**_

_But not in real life! It's so much more exciting…_

_**No.**_

_Fine, then._

"What's happening? Didn't we tell the police not to involve themselves with the arrest?" Watari gripped his gun tightly.

"The only person who would do this…is Aizawa!"

"Yes. You must be right," L pointed out, steering the helicopter lower. Higuchi's car skidded to a halt in front of the police armada. Behind him, the white car and the black car stopped as well, screeching to the sides of the road. Finally, the helicopter came down to hover between the two cars, cutting off Higuchi's escape route. A white searchlight blinked to life, pointed directly at the red sports car.

Higuchi, panicking, spun his car around, attempting to drive underneath our helicopter.

"Stop…right…there," Watari muttered, firing his rifle. Higuchi's tire exploded, sending the car spinning into the side wall of the highway. Police cars immediately surrounded the wreck, cornering Higuchi.

The Kira suspect raised something to his head, shouting franticly.

"He's going to kill himself!"

Watari cocked his rifle, then shot, the handgun flying out of Higuchi's hand. With that, the helicopter set down softly on the ground, the blades slowing.

_Olivia…_

_**I don't care, I'm still not looking.**_

_We've landed._

…_**Oh.**___Olivia finally opened her eyes, surveying the scene.

"It's…it's over," Light muttered.

"Yes. It's over," L replied softly.

…_Not quite yet,_I thought to myself, sighing.

"_Ryuzaki, I'd like to make the arrest,"_Mr. Yagami requested.

"_I'd like to go, as well,"_Mogi put in.

"Very well. But, be careful. This is Kira we're dealing with, after all," L reminded them. The two masked figures approached the red car, suddenly joined by a third.

"Aizawa," Olivia muttered, leaning forward in her seat. As we watched, Higuchi climbed out of the car, hands above his head. Immediately, he was restrained and blindfolded, forced to his knees by the police officers. Mogi quickly put a headset on him, positioning the microphone so that we could hear Higuchi's voice.

L spoke into his headset. "Higuchi, how are you able to kill?"

The Kira suspect was silent.

"If you don't tell me now, I will use whatever means necessary to get it out of you," Ryuzaki warned, his voice emotionless as he poured himself a cup of tea from a thermos stationed under his seat. I couldn't help it; I smiled at that. _You never change, do you, Ryuzaki?_

"_You probably won't believe me, but…I've got a special notebook. If I write a person's name in it while thinking of their face, that person dies."_

"Mr. Yagami-"

"_I've found it,"_the chief muttered. _"It was in Higuchi's bag. There are a lot of names in it, but there doesn't seem to be anything-"_

Mr. Yagami cut off, dropping the notebook and falling to the ground.

"_Aaaaah!"_He yelled loudly, voice frightened.

"_What is it, chief?"_

"_It's…a monster!"_

Olivia and I looked at each other. _**Rem**__,_we chorused.

"_Chief, I think you've been under a lot of stress…aaaugh!"_

Terrified Mogi, clutching the notebook in one hand, backpedaled wildly away from the car.

"_I can see it, too! It seems like the only people who can see it are people who have touched the notebook!"_

"Bring it over to the helicopter, please," L requested, a hint of excitement in his voice.

_**Ohmygod!**_

_In a few minutes, we're going to see our first Shinigami…_I couldn't help but feel excited. Mogi sprinted over to the door of the helicopter, holding the notebook up to Ryuzaki. He grabbed it with his finger and thumb, glancing up towards Higuchi's car. His eyes focused; his body froze in shock.

"It…it really _does_ exist…a Shinigami!"

"Mind if we take a look?" Olivia and I crawled up behind the cockpit, looking through the front windows. I held out my hand for the Death Note. Without looking away, Ryuzaki handed the notebook over his shoulder. Olivia and I looked at each other.

_**On three?**_

_Okay…_

_**One…Two…Three!**_We both touched the notebook at the same time, pulling it out of L's hand. For a few seconds, we both looked at the small, black notebook in our hands, in complete awe of the object.

_It's here…_

_**I'm actually…touching…the Death Note…**_

Gulping, I looked up toward Higuchi's car, my heart beating quickly. My eyes immediately found the Shinigami standing next to Higuchi.

"Oh…Wow…"

"Oh…my god…It's real…"

Rem stood on the pavement, looking every bit like what I had expected. The bone-like structure of her body…the spiky spires of ivory near her shoulders…her bright yellow eyes, with cat-like slits for pupils…purple lips, with fangs barely visible behind them…the bandage wrapped around her forehead…her pale hair, clumped together, with purple tips…it was all there.

"Rem…" I whispered.

"Come on, Jay-chan, let me see it." Light snatched the notebook from my hands before I could protest. As soon as his skin made contact with the cover of the Death Note, he froze. Suddenly, his body convulsed, and he screamed loudly, eyes bulging. Then he collapsed, breathing heavily, as though he had run a mile.

_Oh, crap…he's back…_

_**We'll have to be very careful from now on…**_

"You okay, Light? I suppose seeing that monster would be surprising for anyone…"

"Yeah…Ryuzaki, I'm going to try comparing the names in this notebook with the names of the victims."

_**Eww…his voice is different, isn't it?**_

_Yeah…It's almost…more…sinister…_

As we watched, Light slyly fiddled with his watch while Ryuzaki was distracted by the Shinigami. Olivia almost reached out to stop him, but I caught her hand, shaking my head slightly.

_Olivia, we talked about this, remember?_

_**Oh…sorry…I…**_

_It's okay. It's hard for me, too…_

Suddenly, Higuchi collapsed by his car, his face twisted in a grimace of pain. He spasmed for a few seconds, then became still, his eyes clouding over.

"_Hey! Higuchi!"_

"_What's wrong?"_

"_He just collapsed!"_

"_Ryuzaki, it's too late…He's already dead."_

**Author's Note: And Kira returns! O.O creeper…**

**Don't forget to Review!**


	24. Frozen

Jay's POV

"What?"

"I heard that criminals are being killed again!"

"That's right. There were sixteen deaths just yesterday, after Higuchi's death," Aizawa announced from his chair, looking up over his newspaper.

"Then that means-"

"There's another Kira out there," Mr. Yagami growled.

"Damn it," Light swore, his voice angry. My eyes hardened as he spoke. I felt nothing but revulsion at his presence; however, the emotion had been hard to bury since it was so strong.

"Didn't these killings begin just as Misa was freed?"

"Ryuzaki, enough already. She has nothing to do with this," Light argued, tension plain in his voice. A shudder of loathing ran down my spine as he spoke.

Olivia and I sat on the couches, listening in on the conversation. I tried to ignore the tension steadily building up inside of my chest, but I wasn't entirely succeeding. My predicament was only worsened by Rem's presence; I had caught her sneaking glances in our direction several times since she had entered headquarters. Even drinking root beer had failed to calm me down, at least, not to its usual extent. I'd even tried going for a walk outside of headquarters with Olivia, but it hadn't helped to calm my nerves.

_Tomorrow. It's going to happen tomorrow,_I thought for the umpteenth time that day. _Oh god, oh god, oh god…_

_**Jay! You have to relax! **_Olivia tried to comfort me. _**It's not 'till tomorrow, okay? You have plenty of time!**_

_No…I barely have any time at all…_

_**Jay, concentrate, okay? Keep it together. Take deep breaths.**_

…_Okay. Okay._

_**You know what always calms me down?**_

_I don't think that smelling a book is going to help me, Olivia._

_**Not that! I meant baking.**_

…_Baking?_

_**Yeah. I want you to go into the kitchen, and bake something, okay?**_

_But-_

_**Just do it, all right? You might be surprised.**_

_Fine; I'll try anything._

_**Here: Take this, too**__. _Olivia pulled out my i-pod from her pocket.

_Where did you get that?_

_**I had it with me this whole time. Now, go. And don't be afraid to really turn up that music, okay?**_

Surreptitiously standing up from the couch, I quickly slipped through the door in the back of the room. In the hallway beyond, I opened the second door on the left, stepping into a large kitchen and flipping on the light switch. I had only seen the room once before, and the size of it never ceased to amaze me. It looked like it belonged in the back of a five-star restaurant. _Why do they even need a kitchen this big? It's not as if they have to cook a lot…_

"Okay, then…" Setting my root beer on the counter, I pulled a large cookbook off of a shelf, flipping it open to the desert section. _If I'm going to make something, I might as well make it sweet. Now, let's see here…cookies…muffins…cupcakes…hey…_

The heading, "White Cake" caught my eye. _That's perfect…I can put the batter into cupcake tins, and then frost them with whatever flavor I want…it looks really easy, too…_

I pulled out several mixing bowls from one of the cupboards. _Now, let's see…I need flour…eggs…sugar…baking soda…milk…butter…_

Walking over to the refrigerator, I grabbed what I needed from the shelves, and then raided the cupboard for dry ingredients.

_Amazing…they have _everything _you could need in here…_

Putting the headphones into my ears, I set my i-pod to shuffle, sliding the familiar player into my pocket as the music started. Immediately, L's theme song from the anime came on, and a small smile slipped onto my lips. _Of course it would be _that _song…_I thought, narrowing my eyes fondly.

I opened one of the cupboards, rummaging through the various measuring instruments. An oddly-shaped utensil caught my eye, and I slid it out of the drawer, examining it with a raised eyebrow. It was a large, forked metal bar, with an elastic band running across the top.

_This thing looks just like a slingshot…I wonder what it's used for?_ I pulled the rubber band back experimentally, and was surprised when it stretched easily at my touch. After studying the 'slingshot' for a few more seconds, I replaced it in the drawer, turning back to the task at hand.

Once I had pulled out some measuring cups, I began to mix the ingredients together in the bowls. Surprisingly, I felt myself relaxing; the tightness in my chest lessened with every second.

_Hey, Olivia,_I thought at her.

_**Is it working?**_

_Oh, yeah…definitely…_

_**Good! Keep at it!**_

Shrugging, I turned back to my work, cracking the eggs into the bowl in time with the music. Amazingly, I found that I was enjoying myself more and more; I caught myself singing (badly) along to the familiar songs, and even swaying back and forth at one point. A small smile wormed its way onto my face as I continued to mix the ingredients. Finally, after twenty minutes of labor, the cupcakes were in the oven, and I set to work loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

_If I am to choose a rose_

_In this garden of romance_

_Maybe we could take this cha-ance_

_Maybe you're my love…_

Once I had cleaned up, I barely paused to rest before looking through the cookbook again, searching for frosting ideas. _Oh, here's a good one… Strawberry Vanilla icing…_With a grin, I headed back over to the dry ingredients' cabinet, the beat of a song pounding in my ears. At that point, my anxiety was almost non-existent, and I sighed in relief at the reprieve.

A few minutes later, the vanilla frosting had been mixed. _Now, all I have to do is find some strawberries…shouldn't be too difficult…right?_

Just then, the oven dinged. _Oh, good…They're ready! _I quickly slid on some oven mitts, sliding out two trays filled with cupcakes and resting them on the counter. _Oh, god…these smell so good…mmm…_The heavenly scent quickly filled the room as the cupcakes cooled. _Now…for the strawberries…_

I combed the refrigerator from top to bottom, pulling out drawers and moving aside other items in my search for the elusive red fruit, but I could _not_ find the strawberries. _Well…If they're not in the refrigerator…maybe there's a fruit bowl out somewhere?_

I quickly scanned the kitchen. _…Nope. That's odd…I was sure that L would insist that he have some strawberries around…maybe they're in the freezer?_

A large, stainless-steel door caught my eye on the other side of the kitchen. I crossed the room, pulling the thick, heavy door open and flicking on the light switch.

"What the…?"

I was standing in the biggest walk-in freezer that I had ever seen. The shelves, lined with frozen goods, stretched back for at least thirty feet. The room could easily have been used as a two-car garage; it even rivaled the kitchen in size.

"Now _this_…is a freezer," I said to myself, stepping farther into the icy room, skidding across the frozen ground and grabbing at the walls for support. I scanned the shelves for frozen fruit, trailing my hand along the metal ledges. As my eyes wandered, I muttered under my breath.

"Strawberries…Strawberries…Strawberries…"

"Jay-chan?" A voice came from behind me, and I spun around quickly to see…

"Geez, don't sneak up on me like that, Ryuzaki."

"I believe that Jay-chan needs to work on her observation skills."

"Well, you can't really blame me for not hearing you," I smiled, holding up the cord from my i-pod. Quickly turning off the music player, wrapping the headphones around it and storing it safely in my pocket, I returned my gaze to the shelves of the freezer.

"What are you looking for?"

"Frozen strawberries. I need them for the i…cing…" I trailed off, turning to face L and eyeing him suspiciously. "What are you eating?"

Ryuzaki immediately hid his hands in his pockets, a mask of innocence on his face. "I don't know what you mean…," He mumbled, his mouth full.

"Did you steal one of my cupcakes?"

"Jay-chan has no proof to confirm-"

"There's a crumb on your shirt! You _did _steal one, _didn't you!"_

"May I remind Jay-chan that there are twenty-three other cupcakes left for her to-"

"Aha! So you confess!" A huge grin crossed my face.

"I never-" My gaze shifted as he spoke, caught by a slight movement near the doorway. In shock, I froze for a few crucial seconds as the freezer's door began to close.

"Oh, crap!" I raced over to the door of the freezer, even as it slammed shut of its own accord, closing us in. I pulled at the handle on the inside of the door, but it didn't budge.

"It's locked!"

"That's impossible. The door cannot be locked." Ryuzaki stepped forward, trying the handle himself, but it didn't move.

"Well, it is now!" I banged on the door. "Hello? Hello?"

There was no response.

"Oh, great," I muttered, my breath frosting as it hit the air.

_Hey, Olivia!_

_**How's it going?**_

_L and I are stuck in the freezer._

_**What?**_

_Seriously. Could you help us, please? It's kinda cold in here…_

_**All right. Hang on a sec…**_

A few seconds later, I heard Olivia's voice from the other side of the door.

"_Jay, is that you in there?"_Her voice was alarmingly faint, and I pressed my ear up to the cold metal surface of the door in order to hear her better.

"Yeah! Can you open the door?" I yelled back.

"_What? I can't hear you!"_

"Can…you…open…the…door?"

"_No! It's locked! Hang on; I'm going to go get the others!"_

"_An electric locking system has been installed on the door. Fortunately, we were able to set the lock to open. Unfortunately, it's going to take about a half-hour before it actually unlocks. I'm afraid you're stuck in there,"_Watari called through the door.

"Can't you access the lock and get it to open now?"

"_I'm afraid not. We don't want to risk locking the door for good."_

L sighed, passing a hand over his forehead. "Very well, then," he shouted at the door. Crouching down by a section of shelf-less wall, Ryuzaki rested his hands on his knees, looking peeved.

"What are you doing?" I asked. L looked up.

"Waiting," he stated, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sighing, I pressed my back against the wall, sliding down to sit next to L.

"…You wouldn't happen to have some of that cupcake left, would you?"

L turned his head, looking at me. "Hm? Oh…yes, I do."

He pulled a handful of cake from his pocket. I grabbed a chunk, popping it into my mouth. The buttery, warm crumb melted as it hit my tongue, spreading a sweet taste through my mouth.

"Hmm…That's really good…"

"Yes…you made this yourself?"

I nodded, still musing over the taste.

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"What made you decide to bake today?"

"Oh…Olivia suggested it. She said that it was really relaxing, so…seeing as I've been kind of…anxious…lately, I thought I'd give it a try."

I could feel my old anxiety creeping back. I tried to stay focused, forcing myself to take slow, deep breaths.

"Does Jay-chan feel as though the Kira case has been too stressful for her?"

"What?" I looked up in surprise. "No, it's not the investigation! In fact…I've really enjoyed working on it. To be honest, this has probably been the most…interesting experience of my life," I said honestly.

"Well, then why are you stressed?" L popped a piece of cake into his mouth nonchalantly.

"I…I guess I'm just worried…"

"…about Kira?"

"Yes."

"Jay-chan, I don't believe that you are the type of person that Kira would want to kill," L stated, finishing off the last of the cupcake.

"It's not _my _life that I'm worried about," I muttered, glancing down.

"Oh my gosh! Your feet!"

"What about them?"

"Well, aren't they freezing?" I looked pointedly at Ryuzaki's bare feet.

"Yes." Ryuzaki shrugged.

"Hmm…Do you think my shoes would fit you?"

"Jay-chan-"

"Yeah, I think they might. I guess it's a good thing I have big feet, then…" I began untying my shoelaces, my fingers shivering with the cold.

"I don't believe that it will benefit either of us to-"

"Well, we can't have the Great Detective L getting frostbite, now, can we?" I sighed, laughing. "Come on, Ryuzaki. It's either shoes or socks; take your pick."

A few minutes later, my shoes were firmly tied onto Ryuzaki's feet.

"Better?"

"…Yes," L announced. He looked up at me, his eyes unreadable. "Thank you, Jay-chan."

I smiled softly. "No problem."

Glancing away, I drew my knees up to my chest, shivering slightly.

"Hey, L?"

"Yes?"

"Where _are_ the strawberries?"

"What?"

"I combed that kitchen from top to bottom, but I couldn't find any strawberries. Where do you keep them?"

L's mouth twitched. "There is a small refrigerator in my bedroom with a lock on it. I keep the strawberries in there for safekeeping, in case any frosting-making thieves come along."

I couldn't help it; I grinned. "Yeah…That'd be me, wouldn't it?"

"But…I think I can make an exception in this case…hmm…" L pretended to think, bringing his thumb up to his lips. "How about this…I will give you as many strawberries as you need to complete your recipe. In return…" L's eyes bored into mine, and I felt myself blush in spite of myself.

"In return?" I met his gaze evenly, forcing down the butterflies that had suddenly made an appearance in my stomach.

"…you will stop worrying about Kira." L's expression softened slightly as my eyes widened. "I find that worrying about something will not change the situation; only actions can do that."

There was a brief pause as I let his words soak in.

"So…do we have a deal?"

"Hmm…strawberries…or worrying…I think I'm gonna have to go with the strawberries," I smiled.

"I thought you might."

And the door to the freezer swung open.

* * *

"Hey, Jay-chan, could you help me for a second? I need someone to help me move some equipment."

I glanced up from my laptop to see who had asked the question. Not that I needed to, of course. I would recognize that confident tone anywhere.

I forced myself to smile. "Sure, Light."

I put my laptop to the side, stretching my legs out. "Ahh…I've been sitting too long," I joked, hiding my tension with a friendly grin.

Olivia looked up as I followed Light out of the room. _**You gonna be okay? Do you want me to come with you?**_

_No, I think I'll be fine. He wouldn't try anything at headquarters, and I'll be on guard the whole time. Still, though…he creeps me out._

_**Let me know if he does anything weird, and I'll come and 'check up' on you.**_

_I will. Thanks, Olivia. _

As we walked side-by-side down the hallway carrying packages of equipment, I couldn't help but sneak glances at the man next to me. _It's strange…I almost expected him to completely change into a different person once he became Kira again…but he's acting completely normal. If it weren't for his colder voice and his narrowed eyes, I wouldn't even know…and I probably just notice these things because I read the manga and watched the anime. If you weren't looking for it, you might not even notice. _

"So, Jay-chan, there's something that's been bothering me…"

"Really?" I looked up, a little startled at his friendly conversation. "What is it?"

"Well…aren't your parents worried about you?"

I instantly became tense. "My…parents?" _Why does he want to know about my parents?_

"Yeah. I mean, you get these creepy phone calls telling you to come to Japan, and then, when you go, you don't even try to call them? They must be completely frantic right now. I mean, if I were a parent, I know I would be at least a little concerned. But I haven't seen you try to contact them once."

I was silent for a few seconds, rapidly trying to think of a story.

"Jay-chan…do your parents…even know you're here?"

Startled, I looked up, meeting Kira's gaze head-on. I was sure my expression told him all he needed to know, so I threw the elaborate lie I was working on right out the window and went for something simpler.

I allowed, a small, sad smile to cross my face. "No. My parents don't know I'm here. We sort of…had a falling out a couple of years ago, and I haven't spoken to them since then. They don't really care where I am, or what I'm doing, so…"

"Oh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry…" Light stuttered, but I shook my head.

"No, it's fine. You didn't know."

We kept walking for a few minutes in silence, and we entered a side room to dump our load before Light started to speak again. I didn't catch the first part of what he said, because I was still thinking about my parent 'story', but I definitely caught the last bit.

"…So, are you L's fangirl, or what?"

"E-excuse me?!" I stared at him in mortification, sure I had heard wrong. I was suddenly very glad I had put down the equipment I was carrying, or I would have definitely dropped it.

"Your name. It's an initial, right?" Light asked.

"An initial…oh! You think my name is J, like the letter?"

Light nodded. "Isn't it?"

I laughed, chest filling with relief. "No, it's 'Jay.' Like in 'blue jay'."  
"Oh, I'm sorry…I guess I just assumed it was the initial…I mean, after hearing the name L so often..." Light trailed off, an apologetic tone in his voice.

"No, it's okay. People make the mistake back home sometimes, too…"

"So…what do you think about what I said?" Light suddenly captured my eyes with his gaze. I couldn't have looked away, even if I had wanted to; it was the kind of stare a mountain lion gives its prey before it pounces.

"Um…what part?" I asked, startled.

"Will you…tell me your name?"

My mental reaction was instantaneous. _OLIVIA, GET HERE RIGHT NOW! KIRA'S TRYING TO GET MY NAME OUT OF ME! HE'S GONNA WRITE MY NAME IN THE DEATH NOTE! HELP!_

_**He WHAT?!**_

_Just get here NOW!_

"My…my name?" I stuttered, trying desperately not to show my concern.

"Yeah. You know, it's not really necessary to hide your name from the task force; I mean, we know everyone's true name, except for Ryuzaki and Watari. We're all in the same boat," Light said in a matter-of-fact tone. His voice was light, but his eyes were hard, challenging.

_Damn it, _I thought, trapped. _There's no way I can get out of giving him a name now! And he'll know if I make one up on the spot…_

"What's wrong? Don't you trust me?" Kira's eyes narrowed into slits.

"No, it's just…I'd never even thought about it like that," I muttered, backpedaling rapidly. There was no way I could tell a lie now; Light was watching me way too closely. He would definitely know. _Too late, Olivia…I'll have to tell him…_

"I'm Jay Sterling," I said, and as soon as the words left my lips I felt a thrill of dread. Because what I had said was the truth. And Kira knew it.

**Author's Note: And…up next is the climax! Don't forget to Review!**

**P.S. - the song that I mentioned in this chapter is the Ouran High School Host Club theme song. And, no…I don't own that, either.**


	25. Twenty-Five

Jay's POV

It was already raining when I sat up in bed that morning, fully clothed.

_Hang on…How did I get up here? The last thing I remember is staying up late downstairs…Did someone carry me up? _Shrugging, I yawned loudly, stretching as I stood.

After changing, I stood silently at the window, watching the rain fall down past the building. I didn't allow myself to think, or to feel. I simply watched, allowing the emotions to drain out of me.

"_I find that worrying about something will not change the situation; only actions can do that."_

L's words from the previous day played over and over again in my mind. True to his word, he had supplied the strawberries for my cupcakes, which now sat in the refrigerator downstairs. Once I had gotten around to finishing them, they had been a huge success. Everybody had eaten at least one, even Watari. Ryuzaki, of course, had eaten the most out of everyone, devouring no fewer than five of my creations (not including the cupcake he had snatched before the freezer incident).

I heard someone open the door behind me. I didn't turn around, keeping my eyes on the darkening sky outside.

"Jay?" _You all right? _Olivia's mind-voice was filled with concern as she walked up behind me. I turned to face her, a blank expression on my face.

"Hey, Olivia."

"I was wondering when you'd get up."

"Yeah…I was up late last night…" I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. "What time is it?"

"It's almost four."

"That late, already?" I blinked in surprise.

"Yeah…" _**Ryuzaki's already up on the roof.**_

_Okay…Did you tell Abo about our plan?_

_**Yeah…He says he'll be ready if we…if anything goes wrong.**_

_Right, then…_

Without warning, Olivia stepped forward, wrapping her arms around me. I hugged her back, my eyes prickling.

_**You ready for this?**_

_Yeah. You?_

_**Yeah. Let's go kick some Kira butt.**_

_Definitely._

As we opened the door, I stopped, turning back to give the room one last glance. My eyes rested on the small, white refrigerator tucked next to the counter. I hesitated only a second before stooping to open it, swiping a can of root beer from one of the shelves and sliding it into my pocket. Olivia raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment as I stepped past her into the hallway.

As we stepped out of the elevator into main H.Q., my anxiety began to rear its ugly head. I quickly forced it away, trying to clear my mind. The four former police officers were all crowded around a single computer, talking amongst themselves. Rem was standing off to the side, and, as usual, gave Olivia and me a long, intense stare as we came into the room. Matsuda looked up as we approached, face immediately lightening.

"Oh, hey! You're up, Jay-chan! I was wondering when you'd get down here," Matsuda grinned. I forced a smile on my face.

"Yeah…" I yawned, blinking my eyes sleepily. Slipping the can of root beer out of my pocket, I popped the tab, taking a long draught of the soda. After a few moments, I felt the caffeine begin to take hold; some of my weariness vanished.

"I can_not_believe this!" Aizawa slammed his hand down roughly on the countertop, making me jump and almost drop my can of root beer.

"What's the matter, Aizawa?" Matsuda turned back to the others, his voice confused.

"It's Ryuzaki! He's gotten permission from another country to use the Death Note!"

"What? Why would he do such a thing?" Mr. Yagami ground his teeth with frustration. "How could he go ahead and make plans like this without telling us anything? I thought we were supposed to be working together on this case!"

"_Perhaps you should discuss this with Ryuzaki himself," _Watari sighed through the computer's speaker, his voice obviously weary. _"I will call him down."_

_Here we go,_I thought at Olivia.

_**Now, all we have to do is wait.**_

_You remember what you have to do, right?_

_**How could I forget it?**_

_Right…Remember, as soon as I've finished dealing with Rem, I'll come in and help you if you need it, okay?_

_**Jay, we've gone over this a million times…**_

_I know…last minute jitters…_

_**We'll be fine. We'll be fine,**_Olivia repeated, sounding somewhat anxious herself.

The elevator doors slid open. Light and L stepped out into the room, their hair still dripping from the rain, although their clothes were dry.

It happened in an instant. Ryuzaki lifted his head from his usual hunch, peering out at me from behind his dark bangs. As soon as our eyes met, I felt myself freeze. I forgot to breathe; my muscles were locked into place. I tightened my grip on the root beer can, fearing that I would drop it as I felt my hands tremble. The sheer intensity of L's gaze was incredible; it was as though a curtain behind his eyes had been pulled back, revealing all of his emotions at once. I saw determination, anger, sadness, fear, passion…

_Something's changed, _I realized. _Something about him is different…What is it?_

Without warning, the curtains swiftly closed, masking his emotions once more. The moment passed. L tore his gaze from mine, continuing to walk farther into the room. The whole encounter had taken less than a second; I hadn't even had time to show a reaction on my face before it had ended.

_What…the heck…_was _that?_

As I puzzled over what had occurred, everybody turned to face the detective. "Ryuzaki! What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Yagami stepped forward, his tone accusatory.

"You've somehow gotten approval from another country to use the notebook… for an _execution?"_

"Watari, thank you for your excellent work," L muttered to Watari through the computer, crouching on top of his usual chair. "Now, please make all of the necessary arrangements needed for the notebook to be transferred safely."

"_Of course,"_Watari replied, switching off the microphone.

"Ryuzaki, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to test the notebook," L stated matter-of-factly.

"What? We can't do that," Aizawa burst out. "We already know what the notebook can do; why do we need to try it out?"

"And, besides, who's going to write the name?" Matsuda began to sweat. "If somebody writes a name in that notebook, then they'll have to keep on writing names forever! Don't you remember that Thirteen Day Rule inside the cover? If someone writes a name down, they'll have to write another name within thirteen days, or they'll die!"

"I _am_ aware of that," L replied, taking the spoon out of his tea and fiddling with it, tapping the metal against the pages of the Death Note. "The person who writes the name will be a criminal, scheduled for execution in just over thirteen days. If the criminal is still alive thirteen days after writing the name, then he'll be pardoned."

"But, still…to sacrifice a human life, like that-" Mr. Yagami's protest was cut off.

"We're very close!" Ryuzaki's voice was filled with emotion. "If we can just manage to do this, then the entire case will be solved!"

_That's the line…_I snuck a look over my shoulder, just in time to see Rem disappearing through the wall behind me. I immediately headed towards the door at the back of the room, heart pounding franticly. Behind me, I heard the other members of the task force continue to argue, their voices angry.

_Olivia, I'm going!_

_**Okay…Jay?**_

_Yeah?_

_**Good luck.**_

…_You too._

I flung the door open, stepping into the hallway beyond. Before I closed the door behind me, I took one last look at the room. My eyes focused on each person in turn; Aizawa… Mogi… Matsuda… Mr. Yagami… Light… Olivia… L. I bit my lip, sadness tightening its grip on my throat.

_Olivia…If I fail…_

_**You won't fail.**_

_But if I do…just tell them…_

_**Jay!**_

_Tell them that… I tried._

_**I will. **_And, with that, I turned away from the task force, closing the door behind me. As I quickly stepped down the cold, empty corridor, I felt completely alone. My footsteps echoed softly up and down the hall, though the noise was mostly drowned out by my pumping heart. I held the root beer loosely at my side, holding onto the can with my fingertips. The liquid inside rhythmically sloshed against the sides of the can with every step I took. Fighting the fear and anxiety threatening to consume me from within, I wrenched my eyes closed, continuing to walk. _I can't afford to be distracted by my emotions right now! I've only got one chance at this, and I can't mess it up._

Taking another gulp of root beer, I repeated a mantra to myself in my head.

_Only actions can change things…only actions can change things…_

All too soon, I stood outside the door to Room Twenty-five. Taking a last steadying breath, I reached out for the handle, turning it beneath my hand. As the door swung inward, the lights flickered off, turning my world into a sea of blackness.

_Here it goes…_

Olivia's POV

_**Tell them that…I tried.**_

_I will, _I promised her, my voice ringing with sincerity. Jay closed the door behind her to follow Rem, her face lined by pain and fear.

_Oh, god…I hope she'll be all right…_The gravity of the situation was slowly starting to sink in; I was only now beginning to feel the anxiety that Jay had been feeling for days. _What if…what if she doesn't make it? L…he'll…_

My hands were clammy as I turned back to face the task force, slowly stepping forward to stand with the others. Nobody looked up as I approached; they were too involved with the discussion taking place. Moving into position behind Light, I waited, my teeth grit in anticipation.

"Look, I'm telling you, we can't-" Aizawa's rant was cut off as an enormous _boom _shook the whole building. The lights promptly snapped off, shrouding the room in darkness. I felt a shudder of foreboding crawl up my spine, my heart fluttering inside my chest.

"What the-?"

"What happened?"

"The power's gone out. It must have been a lightning strike from the storm…" L mused.

_Okay, here we go…_

**Author's Note: Aaaahhh! It's so intense! The suspense is killing me! And I already know what's going to happen! What's up with that?**

**Don't forget to Review!**


	26. Slingshot

Jay's POV

The red lights cast unnatural shadows throughout the entire room, heightening my anxiety to the point of terror. My ragged breathing could barely be heard over the sound of my pounding heart. I began to shiver uncontrollably, my stomach tied in knots. I had never been more scared in my life; it felt like my body was about to shut down from the enormous amounts of stress I was experiencing. Nevertheless, I stepped forward, forcing myself to keep going. After all, I had a mission to accomplish.

Rem stood in the middle of the room, tracing her pen against the pages of the Death Note, her back to me. As I entered, she turned her head, eyes widening in shock as she recognized me.

"You…What are you doing here?"

"Drop the notebook, Rem!" I commanded, sounding way more confident then I actually felt.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that." She turned back to the notebook, her pen moving again.

"I have information about Kira."

The pen stopped scratching. "What kind of information?"

"I know who he is. And I also know the identity of the Second Kira."

Rem turned slightly to look at me, eyes narrowing. "And how did you come by that information?"

"It doesn't matter. The point is, if you kill either Watari or Ryuzaki, I will make sure that that information is revealed."

Rem paused for a few moments, thinking over my words.

"Also, I am not the only person who knows this information. There are two others who also know Kira's true identity. If you kill me, the information will still be revealed."

Rem's eyes met mine. "You're bluffing," she said softly, bringing the notebook closer to her chest. I could hear her bones creak as she moved, and the sound sent shivers down my spine.

"Maybe, but you can't know that for sure. Are you really willing to take that chance?"

Without answering, Rem turned back to the notebook, dragging the pen across the paper once more. _Damn it! She's still going to write their names!_

"No!" I leapt forward, gritting my teeth. Letting out an angry snarl, I sprinted in Rem's direction, moving as fast as possible. Intending to ram into her, I put my full strength behind my assault, hunching my shoulders like a football player.

And I passed through her body like smoke.

Olivia' POV

"Don't worry, the emergency lights should be up in a few moments…ah, there we go…" The red lights flickered to life, bathing the whole room with an aberrant glow.

"Watari, what is the state of the electrical equipment?"

"_It looks like we'll have to wait a few more hours before the electricity comes back on,"_Watari replied, sounding weary.

"Very well. We can use my cell phone to make the calls for the notebook's transportation-"

"I don't think that'll be necessary."

Everyone slowly turned around to stare at me, their eyes wide.

"What do you mean, it won't be necessary?" Light asked calmly, his eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"

"I think it's about time we bring this case to a close. You see, I already know who Kira is."

Jay's POV

_It's all over…_

Through the shock, my body seemed to fall in slow motion, passing through Rem like she wasn't even there. _I can't touch her; I can't stop her! L and Watari will die…I couldn't save them…_Their faces swam unbidden into my mind: Watari, his kind, wrinkled face smiling; L, looking up at me from his chair, a cupcake next to his computer.

I could almost see the spoon falling from L's hand…

My heart rose up in my throat; I felt tears begin to prickle at the corners of my eyes. _They're going to die…It's all my fault…_

A hollow pit of defeat began to form around my mind, wiping out all hope in its path.

…_I've failed._

The finality of that statement was irrevocable.

Suddenly, I felt something catch on my wrist. As I fell to the ground, I heard the pages of the Death Note whispering through the air, as though Rem were flipping through the notebook and looking through names. My can of root beer flew out of my hand; I heard it clatter to the ground a few feet away. Then, my body hit the floor, the impact jarring my shoulder painfully.

"What have you done?!" I suddenly found myself pinned to the wall, Rem's hand clenching my throat.

"What-" I choked, gasping for air, my glasses askew. Instinctively, I grabbed the Shinigami's hand, struggling to pry her fingers away from my windpipe. Rem loomed over me, her face close to mine.

"Now Misa will never be happy!" She moaned, her eyes tortured.

The Shinigami's words sunk in. Despite my predicament, my eyes wandered to the floor, where the Death Note lay. It had landed open to the page that Rem had been writing on; I glimpsed the words 'Quillsh W' inked in black on the paper. I breathed a sigh of relief; Rem had not had time to write the whole name in the notebook. As I looked closer, I realized that the ink on the page was splotchy, running all over the Death Note and making the names in it illegible. My eyes took in the overturned can of root beer lying on top of the Death Note, and I instantly knew what had happened.

_I may not have been able to touch Rem, but I was able to touch the Death Note! When I fell through her, my hand must have hit the notebook somehow…and then my root beer fell onto the pages, making the ink run…and, when the pages are soaking wet, you can't write on them, because the paper will tear!_

Relief flooded into my system. _Oh, thank you god…_

"Why? Why did you have to interfere?" Rem's voice was hoarse.

I looked her directly in the eye, struggling to breathe through her tight hold on my throat. I barely managed to choke out a response.

"Because…I also want to protect those I care about!"

I could feel Rem's fingers beginning to loosen on my throat, and I scrabbled frantically at them. In horror, I felt small pieces of her bones break off in my hand, dropping to the floor like gravel. Looking up into her face, I realized that the Shinigami was disintegrating before my eyes.

Recognizing her situation, Rem dropped me; I crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath and rubbing my throat. I coughed roughly, the vibrations sending jarring pains across my voice box.

Once my breathing had slowed, I got shakily to my feet, my eyes confused.

_Why is she decaying like this? She didn't have time to write anyone's name down…Could her intentions have been enough?_

The Shinigami examined her deteriorating hands, watching the grains of sand fall musingly. Then, she sighed regretfully, bowing her head in defeat and closing her eyes. She stood like that for a few seconds while the curse took its toll. Small pieces of grit fell to the ground in a stream, whispering against the floor as they hit the ground.

I took a step forward, pity in my eyes. "Rem…"

Before I could even reach out a hand, the rate of decay suddenly sped up, turning her entire body into grains of sand in seconds. She barely had time to flick her eyes up to mine before it ended. The only thing left of the Shinigami was a pile of pure white sand on the floor.

I stared at the sand for a few moments, my mind blank. Finally, I stepped over to the root beer-infused Death Note lying abandoned on the floor. Picking it up and shaking off the excess soda, I turned to leave the room. I took one last glance behind my shoulder before I closed the door, my breathing steady. As I closed the door, I let out a steady breath of relief. _Boy, am I glad to have _that _behind me. But…It's still not over, yet…_

Olivia's POV

"What?"

"How could you possibly know who Kira is?"

"Everyone!" Ryuzaki raised his voice, commanding full attention. "Let's hear what she has to say, first."

"Okay." I took a deep breath, pushing away my doubts. "What I'm about to say is going to sound crazy. But, it's the truth."

"You see…Jay and me…We're…kind of…psychic."

"_What?"_

"You expect us to believe that-" Mr. Yagami began. Ryuzaki held up a hand, his eyes narrowing.

"Hold on. Let her continue."

I nodded my thanks, my hands clammy. "We can talk to each other. You know, telepathically. But, sometimes…sometimes we have dreams that tell us about stuff from the future.

"A few months ago, I had a dream about this case. The Kira case. And I saw both Jay and me here, in Japan, working with all of you on it. Plus, in the same dream, I saw a card, with Ryuzaki's name and face on it, and I knew that the card would be our ticket into the case.

"So, I had a friend make the card, and we flew here to Japan-"

"Even if we believed that, that still doesn't tell us how you know Kira's identity," Aizawa pointed out, crossing his arms doubtfully.

"I _was_getting to that part," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Later, before Yotsuba, Jay had a dream about Rem. In the dream, she saw who the original Kira was, and who the Second Kira was. Then, she saw Higuchi. After that, she saw who the current Kira is."

"Well, then, who is it?" Matsuda asked, his voice eager.

"The original Kira, the first owner of the Death Note, was…" I paused, gulping. "…It was Light. And Misa was the Second Kira."

"Amazing! So Ryuzaki was right all along!" Matsuda raised an eyebrow, eyes growing wide.

"But who's killing people, now?" Mr. Yagami's voice was rough. "Who has the other notebook?"

"I…It's Misa."

"She's obviously lying, Ryuzaki," Light laughed. "Don't tell me that you actually believe all this!"

"You _would_ say that, Light. After all, protecting Misa must be one of your top priorities at this point," I stated, sniffing.

Light's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by _that?_"

"I mean that you're Kira again! You got your memories back!" I accused.

"What?" Light chuckled. "This is ridiculous. I don't see why you think it's necessary to lie to us like this."

"I'm not lying!" I took a step forward aggressively, my voice dropping to a growl. "Rem never really ate anything, did she? Not even…apples."

Light's eyes widened as I took another step forward. He quickly backed away, a drop of sweat trickling down his brow.

"But, there _was_a Shinigami who _did_love apples, wasn't there? A Shinigami named…_Ryuk!_"

Light turned his involuntary gasp into a laugh, shaking his head. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I think you _do_ know!"

"You know what? I'm tired of this," Light muttered, his voice tight. Turning his back to the task force, Kira walked to the center of the room, head hunched over as if in anger.

"Frankly, I don't know why you're coming up with this stuff, and I don't care. What I _do_ care about is being accused of something that I didn't do! I'm tired of people thinking that I'm Kira!"

While he spoke, Light brought his hands up to his chest, hiding them from view. I heard a slight _click _as the secret compartment in his watch slid out from under the clock face. A second later, Light visibly stiffened, inhaling loudly through his teeth.

"Looking for this?"

I pulled the fragment of the Death Note out of my pocket, Higuchi's name dark red on the surface of the paper. I immediately handed it over to Ryuzaki, who took it between his finger and thumb, his dark eyes fixed.

"I nabbed this during the blackout, while everyone was distracted. It was inside his watch," I told him, smirking at the revelation. "He has a secret compartment; if you pull the knob on the side four times in under a second, it opens."

Light exploded. "No way! It's a trap; this whole thing is a set-up!"

_I don't believe it…That line's straight from the last episode…_

"I agree with Light! How could Olivia-chan have known about the hidden piece of paper inside his watch if she hadn't planted it herself?" Mr. Yagami accused wildly.

"Mr. Yagami, the question you should be asking is, if this _is_ a set-up, how did Light know about the piece of the Death Note?" I pointed out, sighing. "Besides, I already told you; Jay and I are psychic."

"But I…Light…What…?" Mr. Yagami looked at his son in shock, shaking his head softly. "Light?"

Kira said nothing, his eyes hidden by his hair. His face was expressionless, carved out of stone.

"Olivia-chan…if you don't mind my asking, where is Jay-chan?"

I looked over at L, eyebrows raising at the unexpected comment. "Oh, yeah! Um, she's dealing with Rem."

L raised an eyebrow. "Dealing…with Rem?"

"Yeah. She had a dream that the Shinigami was going to write your name and Watari's in her Death Note, so…Jay decided to stop her."

Ryuzaki was silent for several moments, simply looking at the piece of paper in his hand. Suddenly, he raised his head, looking Light directly in the eye.

"Well, then…This isn't exactly how I pictured it, but…"

"Ryuzaki! Don't tell me that you believe this load of garbage!" Light protested.

"I do."

"What?"

"Why would anyone bother making up such a preposterous story, unless it was true?"

"But-"

"Don't try to lie to me, Light. You _are_Kira. I knew that much from the beginning; I simply lacked the evidence needed to prove my point. But, now, with this…" Ryuzaki motioned to the piece of paper from the Death Note. "…and with my plan involving the Thirteen Day Rule, I will finally have enough evidence to convict you.

"Higuchi's name is obviously written in blood. DNA testing will confirm the owner of the blood, although that will only be a precaution at this point. And…"

L nonchalantly flipped over the piece of paper. I could see his breath catch in his throat, eyes widening suddenly with emotion.

"What is it?" I asked, stepping closer.

I didn't notice as Light sighed wearily, passing his hand over his eyes. Walking slowly around the room, eyes lowered, Kira approached the task force.

"Olivia-chan, look out-!" Matsuda tried to warn me. As I turned to look behind me, Light grabbed my arm, twisting me around and pulling me to his chest. Something cold was pressed against my throat; I instantly froze, not daring to breathe.

"Stay back, or she dies!" Light growled.

"Light, what are you doing?" Mr. Yagami took a step forward, eyes widening. "Stop messing around!"

"I'm not messing around, Dad. I was never messing around!" Light's voice rose as he continued to speak. "I was trying to create a better world! One without crime, or violence, or bad people! A world where good citizens wouldn't be afraid to keep their doors unlocked at night! And I…I was going to be the god of that world!"

"I assume that this is a confession," Ryuzaki stated softly, still staring at the back of the piece of the Death Note.

"Light!" Mr. Yagami whispered, eyes intense. "What are you saying?"

"Dad, come on! Don't tell me you haven't thought it, too! The criminals in this world deserve to die! I'm doing everyone a favor! I knew that when I found the notebook, I had to do this; no, that I was the only one who could do it! I knew that killing people was a crime, but there was no other way! The world has to be fixed!" Light let out a hysterical laugh, racking through his whole body. I felt shivers travel down my spine in waves, and I tried to inch away from my captor. Everyone else in the room froze, recoiling slightly from Light as their eyes widened. _My god…he's even creepier now than he was in the last episode of the anime…and I can't even see his expression…_

A few silent moments passed, broken only by Light's ragged breathing. Then, Mr. Yagami stepped back as if struck, his face white. "Light…You _were_ Kira…all along…And I… was too blind to see it!"

The former police chief turned away, hiding his face from everyone else.

"Chief…" Aizawa put a hand on Mr. Yagami's shoulder, his voice consoling.

"Dad…" Light started.

"You are not my son," Mr. Yagami stated, his voice rough. "My son died, a long time ago."

"No, Dad. I didn't die; I was reborn! I am the god of the New World," Light began, but Mr. Yagami cut him off with a growl.

"You…are _not _my son," he repeated, putting more venom into his voice.

"Light…Why?" Matsuda dropped to his knees, his head bowed. The former police officer's shoulders began to shake slightly, his teeth set in a grimace.

"Light Yagami…Kira. It's over. You've lost," L said, voice cold. Ryuzaki slipped off of his chair, stepping onto the tiles with his bare feet. The piece of the Death Note crackled as L crumpled it tightly into one of his fists. "There's no reason to continue fighting. Even with this power outage, it's highly unlikely that you would be able to make it out of this building without someone stopping you. Now," L stared into Kira's eyes. "Drop the knife."

It was obvious that Light was beginning to loose it; his hands trembled, and his body began to shake. I felt a small pinprick of pain at my throat, and something wet slowly trickled down my neck. I tried to pull back but Light gripped me tighter at the movement. I barely managed to keep a whimper from escaping.

_**Hey, Olivia! How's it going in there?**_

_Jay…you have such perfect timing…Light's freaking out; he's holding a knife up to my throat._

_**What?!**_

_I have a plan, but Light might try to make an escape. Could you cover for me?_

…_**I'm on it, but I'll need a few seconds.**_

_Okay…hurry!_

Very slowly, I lowered my hand into the pocket of my skirt. Something alive scuttled out into my palm, then crawled rapidly up the sleeve of my shirt. I glanced down, face-to-whiskers with Near. The rat squeaked a greeting, whiskers fluttering against my cheek. His head swiveled to look behind me; he had caught sight of Light. A strange gleam lit in his eye, and he chattered threateningly as he bunched his muscles together, preparing to spring.

Out of the corner of his eye, Light caught a glimpse of Near on my shoulder. Turning his head, he stared at the rat in shock and horror, a tiny squeak emanating from his throat.

"What the…" Near sprang. Light immediately shoved me away from him, making me fall and knock over Aizawa and Matsuda in the process. I banged my elbow roughly on the floor, sending a shot of pain up my arm. Kira scrabbled away franticly, dropping his knife and making a break for the stairs. Mogi sprinted past his comrades to capture him, but Kira was already getting away, Near's teeth buried in his earlobe.

_Jay! Now would be a great time!_

_**Okay! Incoming!**_

_What?_

As Kira ran up the stairs, a blur flashed by his face, narrowly missing his head. It splattered into the wall, creating an attractive, colorful pattern on the metal. Light froze, turning his head back to find the source of the projectile, when a second one hit him directly in the face, knocking him off of his feet with the force of the blow. Mogi caught up to the incapacitated Light, pulling his arms behind him and slapping a pair of handcuffs around his wrists. Kira's head was forced roughly to the floor, bits of whatever had hit him dripping off of his face. Near dropped to the floor, scuttling rapidly over the carpet in my direction.

"Oh, good boy, Near," I cooed quietly as the rat returned, letting out a breath. I picked him up, cuddling him to my chest protectively.

With Light captured, everyone turned slowly towards the door in the back of the room, looking for who had been shooting the projectiles. Jay, eyes sparkling, stood in the doorway, holding a slingshot-like instrument in one hand and a cupcake in the other. Rem's Death Note stuck out of her pocket, soaked through with a mysterious brown liquid.

"Hm…maybe I should make cupcakes more often," Jay smiled, taking a bite of the pastry in her hand. "They sure do come in handy, don't they?"

**Author's Note: And…there you have it! Notice what I did with the dates, here? This was posted on 11/5, and the date of L's death in the manga was also on 11/5…**

**Review, Please! Pretty please with an L on top! ;D**

**PS - Anyone else find it amusing that Kira was defeated by root beer, cupcakes, and a rat? :D**


	27. Death

Jay's POV

L seemed to be startled by my sudden appearance. He simply looked at me for a few seconds, eyes wide, an unreadable expression on his face. I stared back, my system flooding with complete and utter relief.

_He's okay…He's still alive. I…I saved him. _

"Jay!" Olivia ran up, throwing her arms around my shoulders, a huge smile on her face. "Ohmygod, you did it, we did it!"

"I know!" I laughed, truly laughed, for the first time in days as I hugged her back, completely ecstatic at my victory. "Oh, thank god…"

I caught L's eye again as I broke away from the embrace. Oddly enough, he didn't seem happy at all, but was instead staring at me with eyes full of intensity.

"L?" I asked, instinctively knowing that something was very wrong. "What is it?"

Wordlessly, L held up a cupped hand, where a tiny crushed piece of paper could be seen. Olivia quickly stepped forward and plucked the paper out of his hand, smoothing it out so she could read it.

"_Jay Sterling. Suicide. 11/6/2004. After a close young male friend and co-worker dies right in front of her eyes, she decides to commit suicide. She leaves a note saying she has simply left the country in order to reconcile with her parents, and that seeing the death has made her realize how short life is. However, on the same day she leaves the note, she leaves the building she is living in and commits suicide in such a way that no one will ever find her body." _

Olivia looked up at me. "The date…it's tomorrow."

I blinked, eyes moving from Olivia, to L, to Light.

"You always have a plan, don't you?" I asked softly, face expressionless. My fingers tightened around the slingshot-like instrument in my hand.

Light grinned devilishly. "At least this way, I get to take you down with me."

"What…what is he talking about?" Matsuda stammered. "Jay-chan…is that _your_ name written…"

"It was his backup plan," I said quietly. "In case L didn't die today…he would use this to make sure both me and him were out of the way. Because…the only close young male friend and co-worker I have is Ryuzaki."

"No!"

"But…that's…"

"It's…it's okay, everyone," I said, letting out a long breath. I allowed a small smile to come onto my face.

"Okay?! What are you talking about, Jay-chan?! You don't…want to die, do you?" Matsuda cried out, a tortured expression on his face.

I locked eyes with Kira, ignoring Matsuda's outburst. "Did you really think I would give you my real name?"

Light froze, eyebrows furrowing into an expression of shock. "No!…But, you told me the truth! I know you did! You're such a horrible liar that….you can't have…" He grunted, straining against Mogi's hold.

"Horrible…liar?" I glanced at L, remembering that he had said exactly the same thing when I had been confined. His face hadn't changed; his features remained frozen in an unreadable expression, and he hadn't moved an inch since giving the paper to Olivia.

"Well…I guess I wasn't exactly lying when I said that I was Jay Sterling," I admitted. "But…that's only because that I do go by that name sometimes. I…I write poetry, and publish it on this one website…and the pen name I use is Jay Sterling. But my real last name isn't Sterling," I explained.

"So…what's written in the Death Note won't happen!" Matsuda said gleefully. The task force breathed a collective sigh of relief, while Light glared intensely at me, eyes filled with rage and venom. I was very glad that Mogi was restraining him, because I was absolutely positive that had Light been free, he would have already torn out my throat.

The other members of the task force busied themselves with either restraining Kira or comforting Mr. Yagami. Olivia began to pet Near, cuddling him close as she watched Mogi and Aizawa tighten their holds on Light. I wandered cautiously up to L, who had turned away and seemed to be staring at the floor.

"Ryuzaki…are you all right?" I stepped a little closer. "…L? Did I…did what happened back there…"

L turned slightly to face me, his timeless gaze moving to look directly into my eyes. That was all it took. In that instant, I knew that what had happened had scared L beyond belief, and that he was only just keeping himself from showing any emotion. The look in his eyes…it made me want to cry.

"I…I'm sorry," I whispered, loud enough for only L to hear. "I didn't mean to-"

I became quiet as L began to move. Reaching out a hand, he softly used two fingers to trace a line up the side of my cheek. It was only when he moved his hand away from the side of my eye that I realized that he was brushing away one of my tears.

"I…do not blame you…Jay-chan."

And with that, he walked off.

Stunned, I moved my hand up to my cheek, feeling the dampness left behind by the tear. _Did that…really just happen? It's almost the exact same line from my dream…_

The door to the elevator slid open; quickly composing myself, I spun around to watch two newcomers enter the room.

Abo's POV

Watari and I sat in the control room at Kira Case Headquarters, watching helplessly as the screens flickered to black. With a snap, the red emergency lights came on, casting eerie shadows through the room.

"Here we go," I muttered, my throat tight. Watari turned to me, his face impassive.

"How long until we know for sure?"

"A few minutes. No more than five. But, I don't think we have to worry."

Watari and I had been working together for several days. After he had cornered me in the alley, I had pulled out Jay's copy of Death Note Number Thirteen. In desperation, I told him the truth. The whole truth. Of course, he hadn't believed me, at first. But one look through the book had been enough to convince him. Since then, I had been living in one of the empty rooms at headquarters, trying frantically not to be discovered by any of the other characters.

"_Watari, what is the state of the electrical equipment?" _L's voice broadcast itself over the computer's speaker. The old man typed a few commands into the computer next to him, and then answered, turning on the microphone.

"It looks like we'll have to wait a few more hours until the electricity comes back on," Watari declared, then turned off the microphone again.

"I'm bringing up the feed from Room Twenty-five," I said, typing away on my computer. The screen blinked, showing an image of Jay, forced against the wall. The Death Note lay abandoned on the ground; Rem's hand was wrapped around the girl's throat. I activated the audio, just in time to hear Rem say, _"Why? Why did you have to interfere?"_

"_Because…I also want to protect those I care about!"_

"She's fallen for him, hasn't she?"

"Hm?" I looked up at Watari in surprise. "Yes, I think so."

The old man was silent for several moments, simply watching the feed. On the screen, Rem began to decompose, her remains falling to the floor as streams of sand. I felt a twinge of guilt.

"Let's take a look in the main room," I suggested, switching the screen. The view changed, to show Light Yagami holding Olivia to his chest, a knife at her throat.

"Oh, no," I muttered, rising from my seat. "This is _not_ good."

"Wait!" Watari commanded, pointing to the screen. "Look, there. What's she doing?"

"It looks like…she's got something in her pocket."

A tiny white blob appeared on the screen. When Light spotted it, he violently pushed Olivia away, scrambling for the stairs.

"It must have been Near," Watari chuckled. "Nothing else would have made him react like that."

"Indeed," I smiled. "I'm glad those two figured out Light's weakness."

Glancing back to the screen, I noticed that Light had been captured, forced to the ground by Mogi. _Good…no one was hurt…_I breathed a sigh of relief.

"_Watari," _L's voice came from the computer. _"Could you please drive the prisoner to the holding cells?"_

"Of course." Watari stood. "Would you like to come down with me?"

I thought for a moment, then slid off of my chair. "Sure, why not? It's about time I showed myself, anyways…"

As I stepped into the elevator, Watari pushed a button, and we began to move. I caught myself tapping my fingers nervously against my leg, and I quickly made my hand into a fist. _I need to calm down,_I thought to myself, taking a deep breath. _It'll be fine…_

The doors slid open, and Watari and I stepped out into the main HQ room. Most of the task force was there, excluding Aiber and Wedy. Everyone looked up as we approached, and their eyes focused immediately on me. I paused, a little overwhelmed at seeing most of my characters in person.

"Abo!" Olivia rushed towards me, throwing her arms around my chest. "What are you doing here?"

I chuckled, returning the hug. "It's good to see you too, Olivia."

"Watari, who is this person?" L's voice carried a hint of an accusatory tone.

"Oh…Everyone, this is Abo. He's a friend of mine," Olivia explained.

"Nice to meet you all," I nodded at the characters. My eyes traveled over each person in turn, discreetly studying the familiar faces.

"Mogi, perhaps we should be going," Watari stated, stepping back into the elevator. The former police officer nodded, helping Aizawa in dragging Light in Watari's direction. As they passed me, Light looked up, giving me a fleeting glance before moving on.

_Hello, Light…_I thought sadly, turning briefly to watch him go.

"It's okay, Ryuzaki," Olivia assured L. "He knows everything."

L nodded slowly, giving me a distrustful look before beginning to speak.

"All right, then. Our top priority from now on will be to capture Misa Amane and recover the second Death Note. We must be extremely careful, seeing as she has the power to kill by simply looking at a face. Also, Mr. Yagami…"

The former police chief looked up, his face deathly blank. "What is it, Ryuzaki?"

_Poor guy,_I thought to myself. _I've wondered how he would have reacted had he known that his son was Kira._

"If you would like to leave the investigation at this time, Mr. Yagami, I would completely understand."

"…Thank you, Ryuzaki, for the offer. But," Mr. Yagami's voice grew stronger. "I need to see this case through to the end."

"As you wish," L nodded, his eyes softening slightly. "Now, then…shall we begin?"

Jay's POV

"Hello?"  
The door to Misa's apartment creaked open, the owner peeking at us from behind it. As soon as she laid eyes on me, Misa let out a loud shriek, running out from behind the door and tossing her hands around my waist.

"Jay-chan, Jay-chan! It's so good to see you!" she screeched.

"Uh…It's good to see you too, Misa," I stuttered, mouthing 'help me' to Olivia while the blonde was distracted. Olivia simply rolled her eyes in response to my distress.

"Oh, and Mogi and Aizawa, too! What made you all decide to visit me?" As Misa spoke, her eyes flicked to the empty space above my head. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she cocked her head to one side. Her gaze traveled to the air over Olivia's head, and the same thing happened.

_**She's probably looking at our names, **_Olivia thought at me.

_This is so creepy…_A series of chills ran down my spine.

"We think that someone might have planted a bomb inside your house," Aizawa stated, oblivious as to what had just transpired. "If you don't mind, we'd like to take a look around, just to be safe."

Misa's eyes grew wide, her gaze finally moving away from Olivia and me. "Of course! Please, come in; I just have to tidy up a little bit, first…"

"There's no time for that," Aizawa began, but Misa quickly cut him off.

"Oh, but, please? I left some of my bras out on the sofa, and I'd be really embarrassed…"

"I'm afraid we can't allow that, Miss Amane. You'll have to wait outside while we search, for your safety."

"No! I really have to get in there-"

While Misa protested, Mogi surreptitiously slipped into the doorway behind her, quietly moving into the apartment beyond. Meanwhile, Aizawa continued to stall Misa.

"Look, what if Jay and Olivia stay out here and wait with you? Would that be okay?"

"I'm telling you, I just want to put some stuff away before you go in there!"

"We can't let you go back in; what if the bomb goes off while you're in there?"

"I don't think there's a bomb in there! I haven't even left the apartment for the past few days; I would have seen someone coming in!"

As Misa's complaint left her lips, Aizawa suddenly stepped forward, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. With alarming suddenness, he whipped Misa's hands behind her back, sliding the handcuffs around her wrists.

"Wha-what are you doing?!"

"If you won't stay willingly, we'll just have to remove you by force," Aizawa growled. "It's for your own safety."

"No, wait! Let me go!" Misa struggled against the cuffs, teeth set in a grimace. "You can't do this!"

Mogi appeared at the doorway behind Misa, a black notebook clenched firmly in his hand.

"Look what I found in her apartment," he said, holding up the notebook. The words "Death Note" were plainly visible on the cover, written in white.

Misa swiveled around, her eyes wide. The sight of the Death Note in Mogi's hand pushed her into a frenzy; she fought even harder against her bonds.

"Mogi, help," Aizawa grunted, his grip on Misa loosening. Mogi shoved the Death Note into my hands before turning to help his partner contain the screeching girl.

I stared, wide-eyed, at the notebook in my hands. It felt very different from the other notebook at headquarters. This notebook was Light's original Death Note, the one that had fallen in front of his high school at the beginning of the series. For some reason, it seemed to have more of a presence than the other notebook did; it felt more familiar in my hands. Olivia reached out a hand, stroking the cover with her fingertips. We turned to look at each other, our eyes bright.

_**It's the…the…the notebook…! **_Olivia thought at me.

_The _original _notebook!_

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a large, black shape float up to us from inside Misa's apartment. I slowly looked up, unconsciously holding my breath. Beside me, Olivia did the same. A tall, black Shinigami hovered before us, his shark-like teeth bared in an eternal grin. As we stared, he raised a thin hand, waving at us.

"Hi. I'm Ryuk," he smiled. "I'm a Shinigami."

"Hi…Ryuk," Olivia stuttered, her voice soft.

"Um…" I reached a hand into my pocket, pulling a large, red fruit into view. "You like apples…right?" I asked, holding it up to Ryuk. His eyes immediately fixed on the apple, staring at it intensely. He quickly plucked the fruit from my hand, crunching it in his mouth.

"Mmmm…that's good…I haven't had one of these in ages; _she_ never gave them to me," Ryuk rolled his eyes in Misa's general direction as he finished off the apple. "It was horrible; I had to go off and find them on my own."

"Let's get her down to the car, Mogi," Aizawa grunted, unaware of the exchange between us and the Shinigami. Lifting the struggling Misa off of the ground, the former police officer glanced in our direction. "You two, come on after us."

The two men forced Misa down the stairway, seemingly oblivious to the many hits they were receiving from the girl's flailing arms. With a shrug, Olivia and I turned to follow them, Ryuk trailing behind us like a ghost.

Back at headquarters, Olivia and I lounged in our usual spots on the sofas, joined by Abo. Ryuk floated eerily off to the side, munching apple after apple out of a large wicker basket on the table and mumbling in pleasure, completely oblivious to Abo's intrigued stare.

"So, what are we going to do with them?" Aizawa asked from his chair.

"Well, they'll be sentenced to death, won't they?" Matsuda guessed, scratching his head. Mogi grunted in agreement.

"Not necessarily…" Ryuzaki glanced up at the screen, studying the two prisoners shown there. He contemplated them for a few seconds, then spoke again.

"Shinigami?"

Ryuk looked up from his apples. "Hm…yeah?"

"Would it be possible for the owner of the Death Note to give up ownership if the Shinigami is dead?"

Mr. Yagami sat up, blinking wearily. "What are you saying, Ryuzaki?"

"If we force both of the Kiras to give up ownership of their Death Notes, and they loose their memories of ever having been Kira, then I might consider letting them go free."

"How could you say that? You're talking about letting Kira go? Right after we've caught him?" Aizawa rose to his feet in anger.

"No, Aizawa," I spoke up. "He's talking about wiping Kira out of their minds. Remember how Light was before he got the notebook back? He was pretty much a different person then he is now. So, if he goes back to being that person, with no memories of the Death Note or of his crimes-"

"Then he wouldn't technically be Kira anymore. Kira would be gone, destroyed," Olivia put in.

"And Light wouldn't be guilty, and neither would Misa," I finished.

"But, still, how could we let him go, knowing what he's capable of?" Aizawa argued. "He could have a relapse-"

"How can he have a relapse of something he's never done?"

"Hold on, Ryuzaki." Mr. Yagami stood, his voice strong. "I know that you're doing this for my benefit. But, to be honest, I don't think that I want that to happen."

Ryuzaki looked up, listening attentively to Mr. Yagami.

"If Light came back…I could never look at him the same way. Things would never go back to the way they were, as much as I'd like to pretend that they would…You can decide what you want to do with Misa, but…I've lost my son. And he can never…never come back." Mr. Yagami broke off, and he sat again, struggling to keep his emotions under control.

"I understand," L murmured, turning back to the screen.

"Well, I don't think it would be possible, anyways," Ryuk shrugged, popping another apple into his mouth. "If the Shinigami's gone, then I don't really think there's anything you can do."

"Very well…Ryuk, I want you to go down to the prison cells and speak with Misa. Convince her to give up ownership of the Death Note."

Ryuk was silent.

"I can arrange for two more baskets of apples to be brought up if you do-"

"On my way," Ryuk grinned, snatching the last apple from the bottom of the barrel before flying through the wall.

After a few minutes, the Shinigami showed up on the left-hand side of the screen, in Misa's cell. Ryuzaki wordlessly flicked on the speakers, allowing the conversation to be broadcast through the room.

"_-give up the notebook."_

"_What? But, why?"_

"_Don't worry. Light's got everything figured out. You just have to trust him," _Ryuk grinned.

"_Okay, then…if that's what Light wants…" _Misa's expression changed, growing confused.

"_What am I doing here? Ryuzaki, is that you? This isn't funny!"_She called.

"Well, it looks like Misa's given up ownership without much trouble…" Ryuzaki paused, his eyes flicking back up to the screen. On the of the screen side opposite Misa, Light had suddenly sat up, his eyes wide.

"_What…?"_

Instantly, Light's form grew rigid. Groaning in pain, he slumped to the ground, his body twitching.

"What's happening?!"

"The Shinigami…!"

Light threw his head back, his face contorted in agony, then became still. His eyes grew fixed, then clouded over.

A figure in black rushed through the prison door, kneeling by Light's body. After a few seconds, he turned to the camera.

"He's dead," Watari called, his voice tight. "He's had…a heart attack."

Ryuk never returned.

**Author's Note: Woot! Finally got it up! **

**Don't forget to Review on your way out! ;D**


	28. Homecoming

Jay's POV

The plane roared through the sky, the wings tilting slightly as the machine banked around a turn. Looking out the window, I watched the ground below us; the buildings seemed like tiny blocks and the people pinpricks of color. Soon, the scenery changed to a spectacular view of storm clouds from above. Flying effortlessly between the billowing pillars of water vapor, I breathed a sigh of contentment.

_Well, at least I'm not in a duffel bag this time!_Olivia thought at me from her seat. I laughed, meeting her gaze knowingly.

"Could you two please not talk telepathically?" Abo asked. "I feel like I'm missing out on the conversation."

"Oh…sorry. It's kind of a habit," Olivia apologized.

"Olivia just said that she was glad that she wasn't in a duffel bag this time," I revealed, straightening my glasses. Abo laughed.

"Me too," he smiled. "After all, I almost broke my elbow from the turbulence last time."

We were on our way to England in L's private jet, a sleek silver machine that looked like it was built for speed…and probably was. Olivia was ecstatic at the prospect of seeing Near again; she kept on bouncing up and down in her seat in excitement. Abo was also excited about returning to Whammy's House, especially since, this time, he would be able to interact with his characters. As for me, I felt slightly nervous. After all, this would be my first time seeing L's successors in the flesh.

The door to the cockpit slid open. Ryuzaki stepped into the compartment to join us. He crouched in his usual style on one of the seats, surveying us with a familiar stare.

"Olivia-chan…"

"Hm?" Olivia looked up, eyebrows raised.

"A few days ago, you claimed that you and Jay-chan were psychic, correct?"

"Um, yeah."

"Could you prove that to me now?"

Olivia and I glanced at each other. I nodded.

"…Sure, I guess…" Olivia shrugged.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat. Abo scooted closer to the group, his curiosity peaked.

"I assume that you are all aware of the game of 'telephone,' right?"

Olivia and I nodded, just as Abo muttered, "No."

I gave Abo a strange look. "You don't?"

"Basically, you send a message around a circle of people, and see if the message is the same once it reaches the end," Olivia explained.

"In this case, I will give a message to Olivia-chan. Then, she will tell the message to Jay-chan telepathically. If the message Jay-chan gives me is the same as the message that I gave to Olivia-chan, then…" L trailed off, fixing me with his stare. "…I will have to believe their claim."

"Okay, sounds good," Olivia chirped. "What's the message?"

Wordlessly, L pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Olivia. Shrugging, she unfolded the paper, her eyes tracing the words inscribed there.

_What does it say?_I asked in my mind, conscious of L's stare.

Olivia repeated the message on the paper, trying to keep from smiling. I looked up at L in astonishment, my mouth dropping open.

"Seriously? You couldn't think of anything better than, 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers?'"

One of Ryuzaki's eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch. "It was off the top of my head."

"So you have nursery rhymes dancing through your head all day, is that what you're saying?" I let a grin slip onto my face, letting L know that I was joking.

Suddenly, Watari's voice came over the plane's intercom.

"May I have your attention please…we will be beginning our descent in a few short minutes. At this time, I must request that _everyone_ be properly seated in their seats with their seatbelts _on_…thank you."

"Hang on a sec…We've only been in the air for about an hour," Olivia pointed out.

"And…your point is…?" L strapped a seat belt across his waist nonchalantly, facing towards the front of the plane.

"Um…Never mind…?" Olivia and I glanced at each other, expressions of disbelief on our faces.

**_Well…he_is _filthy rich…I think…?_**

_Still, this can't be legal…can it? _I wondered.

…**_Let's just go with it, for now._**

_Fine._I settled back into my seat, feeling the floor drop slowly beneath me, making my stomach twist.

As we landed in Great Britain, a shiny black Rolls-Royce was waiting for us on the tarmac. Watari ushered us into the back of the vehicle as our luggage was loaded into the trunk. Olivia and I sat on either side of Ryuzaki while Abo graciously took the front passenger's seat. As we strapped our seatbelts on, Watari slid behind the wheel himself, slamming the driver's door shut behind him. At this point, Olivia was so excited that she was physically shaking, her hand jammed into one of her skirt pockets.

_What's in there? _I asked. Olivia immediately slid her hand onto her lap, fingers clenched around a small object.

_**No-thing…**_

_Oh, come on. Now you _have _to tell me._

_I__**…Well, it's…**_Olivia regretfully opened her hand a fraction, revealing something white. I squinted closer, a tiny blank puzzle piece coming into view. For a second, my mind didn't compute. Then my brain began making the connections.

_Blank puzzle piece… Near…Olivia…Whammy's House … Pocket … Ohmygod!_

_**What?**_

_Near gave that to you, didn't he?_

_**Well, yeah…**_

"Oh my gosh, he didn't!"

_**Wha-at?**_

_That's just so adorable!_

_**Oh, shut up…**_Olivia shook her head, rolling her eyes.

_Well, it is!_

_**Yes, I know, now drop it!**_

_He gave you a 'piece' of his heart…awww…Next thing you know, you'll be calling him nicknames, like 'Little Bundle of Joy.'_

_**God, Jay! Stop it; it wasn't like that…**_Even as she said it, her voice sounded uncertain, and a dark red blush spread across her face and down her neck.

_Oh, yes it was, and don't you deny it!_

_**And what about that strawberry that L gave you, hmm?**_

I glared at her. _The circumstances are completely different._

_**No they aren't, not if you think about it.**_

I was about to give Olivia a reply when I spotted L staring at me out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look at him, my eyes narrowing when I noticed that he had a small smile on his face.

"Can I help you?" I asked, bemused.

"Oh…not at all. Please, continue with your conversation," L smirked, eyes crinkling in amusement.

"And how did you know that we were having a conversation?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, there was the fact that you said, 'oh my gosh, he didn't' a few minutes ago without any prior audible conversation. Also, you two have been making faces at each other for the past ten minutes, which, I must say, has been rather amusing to watch-"

"Oh, shut up," I laughed, whacking L on his forearm good-naturedly.

A few silent seconds passed.

"So, can I at least know the topic of this conversation-"

"No," Olivia and I chorused, deliberately turning our heads to the windows to hide our smiles. As my eyes took in the view outside, I leaned closer to the glass, my breath misting on the surface as I exhaled.

Beautiful rolling countryside extended for as far as I could see. Sheep littered the fields, grazing on the grasses and wildflowers. Ancient, sloppy stone walls surrounded the perimeter of the land, dividing farm field from grazing pasture. Occasional trees provided shelter for the various birds; as we passed under one, I could hear them chirping through the glass. The simple beauty of the place was amazing, and took my breath away.

"Wow," I muttered quietly, my eyes fixed on the scenery. I saw, rather than felt, the car turn onto a forest path, the fields suddenly switching from open fields to a sea of trees.

_**Jay, we're almost here, we're almost here! **_Olivia squealed in my head. Her excitement was contagious; I could feel the butterflies straining to be free in my stomach.

And then, we turned a corner, and Whammy's house came into view.

It was massive. It was the size of a large high school, but the style of architecture reminded me of a church or cathedral more than anything else, with tall stone spires, a bell tower, and what looked like stained-glass windows in one part of the building. The building honestly looked like it wanted to be Hogwarts when it grew up. As the Rolls-Royce approached the wrought-iron gates in front of the orphanage, they swung open automatically, welcoming us inside. We drove slowly around the circular path, coming to a halt near the steps to the front entrance. A young woman and an older man stood side-by-side just outside the doors to greet us. I recognized the man immediately, although the woman didn't look familiar, with a plain face and mousy-brown hair.

_Is that guy-_

_**Yup! That's Rodger! And the girl's Lucy; I told you about her, right?**_

_Um…No?_

_**Oh…Well, I suppose you could say that she's the housekeeper-slash-babysitter for all the kids. But she's also a teacher and…well, she does a lot of stuff. But she's really nice; she helped me out a lot when I first got here.**_

_Okay, got it…I think…_

A sudden thought struck me. "Um, Ryuzaki…You know that Olivia's been here before, right?"

L slowly turned to look at me. "Of course," he shrugged, his voice impassive.

"Umm…You do?" I was pretty sure that I hadn't gotten around to telling L that fact yet.

"Is that a problem?"

"Oh, no. I was just going to tell you myself if you didn't know, that's all…"

Olivia opened her door, stepping out of the Rolls-Royce, a giant smile on her face.

"Hey, Lucy!" She called to the woman at the top of the stairs.

"_Olivia?" _Lucy sprinted down the stairs, pulling my best friend into a bear hug. "Oh my gosh, you came back! I always knew you'd come back! Oh, everyone is going to be _thrilled!_"

With a sigh, the rest of us got out of the car, breathing in the fresh air with some relief. Olivia and Lucy had finally broken apart, and were now chattering away like squirrels. I cleared my throat, catching Olivia's attention.

"Oh, sorry…Lucy, this is Jay, my best friend…" We shook hands, nodding politely at each other.

"And this is Abo, another friend…"

"A pleasure to meet you." Abo bowed his head as he shook Lucy's hand, his English tinged with a slight Japanese accent.

"Oh, and this is Rodger, everyone-"

The elderly man near the top of the stairs nodded, his face an expression of pure boredom.

"Well, should we go inside?" Lucy suggested, leading the way up the bulky stone steps. The front door of the orphanage creaked open, and we all stepped single-file into the building, anticipation building in my chest.

The entrance hall was cavernous, the domed ceiling stretching past the second floor. A large grand staircase faced us from across the room, the marble steps leading up to the second floor of the orphanage. Sitting on those stairs was a pair of boys, crouched over a Nintendo DS and obviously engrossed in the game. The boy playing the game had short, red hair, wore a striped shirt, and had a pair of goggles strapped across his head. The boy sitting next to him had longish, choppy blonde hair, wore black leather, and was chomping on a chocolate bar musingly as he watched his friend play.

"_Mello! Matt!"_Olivia rushed forward, throwing her hands around the two boys before they had a chance to look up.

"Gaaah! Olivia, I can't see!" Matt complained, flailing his arms wildly as his DS plummeted to the ground.

"What the hell…Olivia? You're back?"

Olivia finally released the two boys, stepping back a little to get a good look at them.

"Yeah, and you'll never guess where I've…been…" Olivia trailed off, her eyes squinting as she took a closer look at them. "What the heck happened to you two?"

"What?" Matt quickly grabbed his DS from the floor, brushing off the dirt and checking it for cracks.

"Well, you've only grown about five _years_ since I last saw you! Geez, you guys look like you're twenty! Are you on some kind of artificial growth hormone, or something?"

"Yeah, you got me, Olivia. I've got a whole stash of it under my bed," Mello sneered sarcastically, stepping down onto the main floor. As I looked at the two of them side by side, I had to admit that Olivia had a point. Even with only socks on his feet (black, of course), Mello towered over Olivia by about six inches. Actually, the Mello standing before me looked outwardly more like the person who had kidnapped Takada on his motorcycle (minus the scar), rather than the angry fourteen-year-old who had left the orphanage after L's death. However, the mischievous, insolent expression on his face convinced me that his personality was still more like the fourteen-year-old.

"Hey, L," Mello nodded at Ryuzaki.

"Mello," Ryuzaki nodded back.

"Well, who are _these_people?" Mello turned to Abo and me, eyes raking over our forms.

"This is Abo, and that's Jay. They're my friends from outside Whammy's House," Olivia supplied.

"Mello. Nice to meet you," he shrugged, grudgingly stepping forward to shake our hands after Olivia glared at him.

_Just shook Mello's hand…Just shook_Mello's _hand…_I forced myself to stop from acting like a complete fool, keeping my fangirl-ish squeal locked up inside.

"And that guy over there is Matt," Mello pointed.

"Yo." Matt raised a hand, not looking up from his screen. "Ha! Take that, Gyarados!" He shouted at the game, shaking the screen.

"So…Where's Near? Don't tell me that he's taking the same stuff that you guys have," Olivia grinned.

"Do you have to bring up _that _subject? I was having such a good day…okay, okay, fine," Mello held his hands in front of his chest as Olivia gave him a murderous stare.

"Well… here's the thing…" Mello began, his voice bored. "You see, ever since you left, Near's been acting kinda…odd. Well…" Mello grimaced, "Odder than _usual_, I mean. Whenever he puts together a puzzle, he always leaves one piece out. And, he's actually been acting _nice _lately, tutoring some of the younger kids and stuff…"

Mello's nose wrinkled in annoyance. "Oh, yeah. Plus, he's been drinking massive amounts of milk, which is _really _weird, because he used to hate the stuff. And, as you can imagine, that's had a major influence on his height; he's not such a little sheep anymore, if you get my meaning…"

Olivia's eyes had been growing steadily wider as Mello's speech progressed.

"Well, I _have _to see _this_…Do you know where he is?" She asked, barely containing her excitement.

"No, and I don't really care, either. If you really wanna know that bad, go ask Matt; he knows where everyone is."

"Uh…I don't think that'll be necessary…" I motioned to the doorway behind Mello, where a figure clad in white had appeared, silently observing the scene. Olivia whirled around, her eyes bright as they focused on the boy standing there.

"Near?" She sprinted across the room, her arms outstretched. As Near saw her coming, his eyes widened in an expression of surprise and alarm.

"Neeeeaaaarrrr!" Olivia jumped off the floor, shooting towards Near in a full-out flying leap tackle. I winced, sure that this was going to end badly. Then, my eyebrows furrowed as Near actually reached out his hands…_and caught Olivia just as she reached his chest._

"Whaaaa…." I stared at the two of them, embracing now, in disbelief. "Did he just…_catch_…?"

"I believe he did," L muttered to me, his tone just as surprised as mine.

"Like I said…" Mello snorted, walking back towards Matt, "he's not a little sheep anymore."

**Author's Note: Yayz! Reunited at last! XD I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so don't forget to Review and tell me what you thought!**


	29. Strawberry

Jay's POV

"Jay."

"Urnmmmm…" I nestled deeper into the blankets, keeping my eyes tightly closed.

"…Jay! Wake up!"

"Whut?" I asked sleepily. "Go 'way…"

**Jay! Listen to me! **

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" I rolled over, blinking blearily as Olivia's face swam into focus. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, stifling a yawn. "Whazgoinon?"

"I'm hearing something really weird…"

I let out a heavy breath. "Gaah…what time is it…4:30?!"

"I know, I'm sorry, but, seriously, listen to this!"

I sighed again, listening intently for a moment. Sure enough, strange noises were emanating from the hallway beyond our door, reminiscent of stomping, crashing, and deep voices.

"Matt's probably just playing a video game…" I set my head back down on my pillow, already half-asleep.

Olivia shook her head. "I don't…think so…"

As she spoke, the stomping grew louder, until the source of the noise was directly outside. Olivia and I looked at each other.

"That's not a video ga-" With a bang, the door flew open, and a group of four uniformed men raced into our room. With a screech, Olivia and I pulled the covers up over our pajamas, reeling backwards in shock. Any sleepiness I was feeling was instantly drowned out by adrenaline.

"What the heck are you doing in here?!"

One of the men grabbed my backpack, roughly pulling it open and glancing through its contents, as the other two headed toward the bathroom and closet.

"Hey, you can't just come in here and-!"

The three continued to rifle through our things, completely ignoring our cries of outrage. The remaining man stepped forward, cutting off my protests with a sharp look.

"We're with Interpol- there's no reason to be alarmed. We have been ordered to thoroughly search this orphanage for a particular item-"

"What kind of item?" The man paused, glaring at Olivia. His intense stare made her shrink back a little, though her eyes remained challenging. After a brief pause, he continued as though nothing had happened.

"…You are asked to leave the room, and gather with your fellow housemates in the entrance hall-"

"Who brought you here?"

The man simply glared at us. "If you do not co-operate with us, then you will be forcibly removed."

Olivia and I glanced at each other.

_That guy could probably KO us both in one hit._

_**I know, right? Look at the size of his muscles…**_

_Exactly. And I, for one, have no desire to be hauled out of the room over this guy's shoulder. _

We reluctantly rose from the beds, and I quickly grabbed my glasses from the bedside table before following Olivia from the room. On top of her head, Near squeaked and twitched his whiskers, giving the uniformed men a distrustful look before settling in. As we headed down towards the entrance hall, I sent a thought Olivia's way.

_So, what do you think this is all about?_

_**I have no idea…**_

_Do you think it has to do with one of L's cases, or something?_

_**It could…but, honestly, I'm not sure. We can't even be sure that they're working with L. They could be here for some other reason.**_

_True. Maybe- Oh, god._

_**What?**_

_Olivia…where's Death Note Number Thirteen?_

Next to me, Olivia paled. _**Oh, no…I'm gonna ask Abo real quick.**_

She was silent for a few seconds, leaving my mind to race. _If they see it, they won't connect it with anything, right? Right? To them, it's just a book…but, what if that's the item they're looking for? What if someone found out about our secret?_

_**Jay, it's okay. Watari's got it locked up in a secret safe; there's no way they'd find it. **_

I let out a huge breath. _That's a relief…_

We descended the steps and, side by side, entered the hall. Most of the orphans were there, sitting either on the floor or the stairs, or leaning tiredly against the walls. Everyone was in their sleepwear; even Rodger sported an old, faded bathrobe as he angrily discussed something with Lucy.

We mulled around for a few minutes, searching for a familiar face in the crowd.

"Olivia." A soft voice came from behind, and we turned to see Near standing behind us, musingly twisting a curl of hair 'round his finger.

"Near!" A large grin crossed Olivia's face, and she stepped forward eagerly. "Do you know what this is all about?"

"No…Although I wonder what they think they'll find…" Near blinked.

"Do you know if they're under Ryuzaki's orders?"

Near's empty gaze turned to me. "Well, I think we'll find out soon enough…it looks like they've finished their search."

I turned, and, sure enough, the uniformed men were exiting the building from every doorway, moving easily and confidently through the field of pajama-clad children. Within minutes, the building was empty of uniforms, and the orphans stirred restlessly.

"Is it over?"

"I wonder what that was all about…"

"Can we go back to bed now?"

The children's muttering suddenly silenced as a single figure appeared at the top of the steps. One of the children raised a hand, pointing.

"It's L!"

"L?"

"Maybe he was the one who brought those guys here?"

L slowly descended the steps, pausing halfway as he swept his gaze over the crowd.

"It's all right," he said. "I asked those men to come here, to search for something for me. But, we found it, so there's no need to worry. You can…all head back to bed."

And with that, he turned, and began to climb up the stairs again.

"Oh no, he doesn't," I muttered, heading after him as the orphans wandered back to their rooms.

"Jay, wait-"

"Maybe the children can accept that excuse, but I can't! He dragged us all out of our beds at 4:30 in the morning, and then just says that he was 'looking for something'? I'm not just gonna let that pass."

"Jay…I was gonna say…I'm going too," Olivia said.

"O…oh. Okay…"

"Yeah, me too." Mello slunk over, arms crossed over his black shirt. "I was having this really awesome dream, and I'm pissed."

"A…all right…well, allons-y, then," I shrugged, quickly turning and ascending the stairs. I heard the clatter of feet behind me, but kept my eyes focused on the figure at the top of the steps…that had paused and was waiting for us to reach him.

We arrived at the top step, and the others gathered around me as I stepped forward, staring L directly in the face.

I raised an eyebrow. "…Well?"

The corners of L's mouth twitched. "Yes…I do apologize for getting you all out of bed at such early hours, but it was an emergency."

"What kind of emergency?" Mello grumbled.

"I had been keeping a piece of evidence in the orphanage that directly related to one of my most recent cases. Roughly thirty minutes ago, I gained new information that suggested that that particular piece of evidence could be the key to solving the entire case; however, when I went to retrieve it, the evidence was missing."

As L talked, Olivia's eyes became wider and wider.

"Naturally, I immediately called in a force from Interpol, requesting a thorough search of Wammy's House for the missing evidence."

"And what exactly was this…evidence?"

"A chocolate-covered strawberry."

I blinked, sure I had heard him wrong. "A…what?"

"A strawberry, covered in a most delicious brand of milk chocolate. Jay-chan…have you never tried one of them?"

"That's it. You woke me up from my chocolate-covered-mafia-gun dream, just so that you could search for a strawberry?!" Mello raged. "I'm going back to bed!"

"Not so fast, Mello," L called. "There's still one thing I haven't told you."

"And what is that?" Mello growled, swiveling away on his heel.

"The strawberry…was found in your room."

Olivia turned, wide-eyed, to stare at Mello.

"With a bite out of it."

_Ohh, he is pissed, _I thought at Olivia.

_**Oh, no…**_ She stifled a smirk as Mello's shoulders tensed.

"Well, how the hell was I supposed to know it was evidence?! You were keeping it in the refrigerator, where anyone could see it!"

"There was a message taped onto the plate, reading, 'Valuable Evidence, Do Not Eat,'" L replied, taking a step closer to his successor as his voice lowered.

"I didn't think you were being serious!" Mello swirled to face L, eyebrows furrowed. The two stared at each other for a moment before L spoke once more.

"Well…considering that the evidence can still be used, even with the bite out of it, I see no reason to deal out punishment…"

"Punishment?! You make it sound like I'm five years old," Mello grumbled, shooting a regretful look L's way before retreating down the corridor.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Olivia let out a sigh. "Well… if that's all it was, I'm going back to bed…'night, everyone…"

Near accompanied her down the hallway, murmuring softly to her in conversation as they trudged out of view. I was left alone with Ryuzaki.

"So…" I turned back to L, allowing a smile to cross my lips. "All that, for one chocolate-covered strawberry?"

"Hm…yes. It was an incredibly delicious specimen," L stated, meeting my eyes.

"Incredibly…you mean, you ate it?!" My mouth, literally, dropped. "After all you did to get it back?! What about the 'evidence'?"

L smiled. "It was necessary for me to eat the strawberry in order to taste the poison."

"The…poison?" I sputtered.

"The strawberry was spiked with a small amount of poison, which has a very distinctive taste, but cannot be detected through any other means-"

"You _ate _a poisoned strawberry?! How the heck- I mean, is it deadly?!"

"Extremely."

My heart just about stopped.

"…in large quantities. The amount I consumed would not be enough even to kill a mouse," L admitted.

I whacked him on the arm. "You…! You were purposefully saving that fact 'till last, weren't you?!"

"I have no idea what Jay-chan is referring to…ouch!"

I half-heartedly whacked L on the other arm. "Seriously, don't scare me like that! I saved you once, but I don't know if I can do it again."

"Hm…" L considered me for a moment, then suddenly coughed, glancing away. "Perhaps…you should be getting to bed. I'm sure you're tired from this…excursion…"

"Oh…you're right. I'll…see you in the morning, then?"

"Yes. Goodnight, Jay-chan."

"Goodnight, L."

As I wandered down the hallway towards my room, I mused about why L had cut off our conversation so abruptly. _…I could have sworn I saw a little color in his face…he was blushing? No, that couldn't be it…_

It wasn't until I got back to the room that I realized that my pajama top was covered in decorative patterns of strawberries.

**Author's Note: Hi! Hope you enjoyed this little tidbit! More chapters coming soon; what with the holidays and all, it's gotten rather busy here at my place. Forgive me for not uploading sooner!**

**Oh, and for anyone who was wondering, allons-y is French for 'Let's go!' A tiny reference to another obsession of mine…**

**Geronimo! :D**


	30. In the Pink

Jay's POV

_I don't believe this…_

I wandered through the halls of Whammy's House in a trance, trying to feel my way through the labyrinth of corridors. Most of the hallways I turned down looked exactly the same, with tall, domed ceilings and cream-painted walls. The numbers outside the doors were the only things that distinguished each corridor from the next. Within minutes of taking a wrong turn on my way to the mess hall, I was hopelessly lost. To make matters worse, I didn't even know which floor I was on.

_Geez, this place is built like a maze,_I thought, running into yet _another _dead end. _They should have maps of the orphanage posted in the hallways…_

I heaved a sigh of frustration. _I'm going to miss lunch if I don't hurry up! Aargh, why didn't I wait for Olivia?_

Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of a familiar hunched black haired figure turning down a hallway ahead of me. My heart leapt in relief.

_Oh, thank god!_" Hey, Ryuzaki! Wait up!" I called. The figure moved out of sight as he turned down another hallway ahead.

_Oh, no you don't! _I sprinted down the corridor to where I had last seen him, and when I rounded the bend…the hallway was empty.

_Huh…that's weird…maybe he didn't hear me…_

"Oh, no…Oh, no, _no!_ What did I _do?_" A cry of misery suddenly came from behind a closed door on my right, making me jump.

"Lucy?" I slowly came up to the door, recognizing the voice and accent. "Are you okay in there?"

The door swung open as I knocked, revealing Lucy standing in front of a washing machine, the top of the machine flung open. A piece of wet cloth hung limply in her hands, dripping water down her arms. As I entered, she whirled around to face me, hiding the clothes behind her back.

"Oh, Jay…Can I help you?" She asked politely, her lips trembling.

"I heard you crying in here; are you all right?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine! It's nothing to worry about," Lucy lied, a nervous smile on her face.

"What's that behind your back?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh…Nothing." Lucy's arms shook slightly as she tightened her grip on the clothing.

"Well, that 'nothing' is dripping water on the floor," I pointed out, eyeing the drops on the tiles behind her.

"…Oh." With a grimace, Lucy pulled the clothing into view.

"…I don't see what the problem is." I shrugged, eyeing the shirt closely. It looked perfectly normal, with long sleeves and a shallow oval neck. The color of the fabric was a bright shade of pink that reminded me of bubble gum. As I continued to look at the shirt, something about its style started to look familiar.

"You don't get it." Lucy gritted her teeth. "I was doing a load of wash and…somehow, a red sweater got mixed in with the whites…"

"Oh…my god," I muttered, my eyes widening. "Then…Is that…"

"Yeah…It's L's."

"Oh, that is _not good…_"

An image suddenly popped into my head: L, wearing a bright pink, bubble gum shirt…

I buried my head in my hands, both to stifle my snicker and hide my blush.

"…I don't know what to do," Lucy muttered, staring at the shirt in her hands.

"Okay…Well, why don't we just soak it in bleach?" I suggested, raising my head up. "Do you think that would work?"

"Maybe. Let's try it." Lucy's eyes lit up. Setting the shirt across the top of the washer, she grabbed a large bottle from a nearby cupboard.

"There's a big tub behind you; could you drag it over here?"

"Sure." I pulled the metal tub across the room to the washer, bumping into a stack of washing supplies. They teetered for a moment, then toppled to the ground with a tumultuous clang. Fabric softener and measuring spoons skittered across the floor in every direction.

"Oh, shoot!"

"Never mind that, we can pick them up later." Lucy plopped the shirt in, then reached into the washer, pulling out another pink shirt. And another.

"Um…Lucy?"

"Yeah?"

"Exactly how many of L's shirts did you dye?"

"…All of them."

"…All…of them…"

"Except for the one he's wearing now."

"Oh…" I bit my lip silently.

The room, filled with the overpowering scent of bleach, made my eyes prickle. I quickly threw open the large window on the far side of the room, letting the fumes escape out into the open air.

"Do you think it's working?" Lucy leaned over the vat of bleach, eyes watering. "Should we stir it?"

"I dunno…Try poking it," I suggested. Lucy nodded, grabbing one of the plastic measuring cups from the top of the dryer and sticking it into the vat. The plastic brushed up against one of the shirts, releasing a cloud of pink coloring from the fabric.

"Yeah, you should probably stir it," I nodded. Lucy set to work, the shirts whirling around in the vat like an extremely slow washing machine. I quickly began the task of gathering up the scattered cleaning supplies.

_**Jay! Where the heck are you? You're missing lunch. And they have this really awesome soup today…**_Olivia's voice rang in my head.

_Long story, but the short version is that Lucy accidentally dyed all of L's shirts pink…_

_**She**_**what**_**?**_

_And now we're bleaching them, _I finished, stacking the boxes on top of each other.

_**Are you serious? You're bleaching them**_**right now**_**?**_

_Um…Yes? Is that a problem?_

_**Well, Mello spilled his chocolate milk all over L's shirt, and he just left to get a clean one from the wash!**_

I froze. _Ohmygod, are you serious?_

_**Yeah, he's going up the stairs right now!**_

_Holy crap…I'll talk to you later!_

"Lucy, we've got a major problem on our hands." I stepped forward, frantically junking the last supplies onto the stack.

"Why? What's the matter?" She asked, looking up from her work.

"L's on his way up here right now!"

"He…" Lucy turned pale. "How do you know?"

I stuttered. We had all decided to keep the telepathy a secret for the time being, so I had to think up a quick lie. "O-Olivia texted me…We have to finish this, and fast!"

Rolling up my sleeves, I skimmed off one of the shirts from the vat of bleach, grimacing slightly as the harsh chemical burned my hands. Squeezing the liquid out of the cloth, I inspected the color, which was now a brilliant shade of white.

"Okay, they're good! Let's get them in the washer before L gets here," I ordered, stuffing the shirt into the machine. Lucy followed suit, squeezing the bleach from each shirt before placing it into the washer. Just as the washer's cycle had been started, the door to the laundry room creaked open.

"Excuse me…" L stepped into the room, a large brown blotch on the stomach of his shirt. "Lucy, do you happen to have any of the whites…"

He trailed off, cocking his head to one side slightly as he noticed my presence. "Jay-chan, what are you doing here?"

"I…was just helping Lucy with some of the wash." I blinked innocently. "Sorry, you'll have to wait for your shirts; we just put them in."

"Jay-chan, it is not necessary for you to work to earn your stay here; after all, you are my guest," L pointed out. I felt a butterfly bounce around inside my chest as he said those words. _My guest._

"I know, I was just trying to be helpful," I shrugged, lowering my eyes self-consciously as I furiously tried not to blush.

"Hmm…Is there bleach in that tub?" Ryuzaki motioned at the container, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Lucy began to stutter, L's questioning making her nervous. "Uh, yeah. We…we were- you know what? I just realized; I haven't eaten yet, I'd better go …" Lucy backed out of the room into the hallway, not making eye contact with either of us. As soon as her head cleared the doorway, she quickly walked away down the corridor, leaving L and me alone.

_Geez, thanks a lot, _I thought nervously, envying her quick escape.

"So…do you mind if I use the bleach?"

I raised an eyebrow. "…Excuse me?"

"If I put this shirt in the bleach, it will lift the color out of the stain," L stated, stepping forward. "Are you done using it?"

"Um…yeah, but-"

I never finished my sentence. Without another word, L nonchalantly slipped his shirt over his head, revealing a skinny but surprisingly muscular form. The shirt plopped into the vat of bleach, immediately soaking up the harsh chemicals. Dropping into his usual crouch, L grabbed the plastic measuring cup from inside the tub, poking at the cloth inside. He looked up at me, blinking his eyes innocently as he noticed my sudden silence.

"Is there a problem?"

I was positive that my face had just turned beet red. "Um…no…you know what? I just remembered that I'm really _really _hungry, 'cause I haven't eaten lunch yet either, so I'm just gonna go do that now…" I inched toward the doorway.

L stood up. "Jay-chan, if there is something bothering you…"

"Well…I just…" I cleared my throat, not meeting his eyes. "I'm just not used to seeing…"

"Ah." Ryuzaki's eyes widened as he realized the problem. "I could wear a shirt from the dryer, if that would-"

I took a deep breath. "No, you don't have to do that…I just wasn't expecting it, that's all…"

Just then, my stomach let off a loud complaint. I felt my face grow even redder as L looked pointedly at my middle.

"Perhaps you _should_ get something to eat," he suggested, turning back to his work and crouching by the container of bleach once more.

"Um…yeah. Sure." I made for the door, heart pounding wildly. "I'll see you later then, right?"

"Of course," L nodded.

As soon as I was safely in the hallway, out of sight of the laundry room, I plastered my back up against the wall. Holding my burning face in my hands, I let out a heavy sigh, shaking my head wordlessly.

_That…was probably the most embarrassing moment of my entire life._

**Author's Note: Yay! :D Finally finished the chapter! Hope you liked it, and don't forget to Review on your way out! **

**By the way, Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope your break has been fantastic! ^.^**


	31. Hound of the Baskervilles

Jay's POV

"…and she walked to the door, clenching her flashlight tightly in her hands. 'Rachel?' she called again. But there was no response. Suddenly, she heard a soft noise coming from the other side of the door, almost like the rustling of…paper."

Next to me, Olivia stiffened slightly, eyebrows twitching downward as she listened to the story. I sent her a quick calming thought, and she let out a little breath as she relaxed.

_**Sorry…this story's kinda freaking me out a little…**_

_It's okay. _I gave her a tiny, reassuring smile. _Matt's a good storyteller. I'm feeling a little uneasy, too, to be honest. _

"…She opened the door, and as she did so, she felt something stroke her ankle! She jerked away, and as blood trickled down her leg, she realized that her ankle was covered with _thousands _of tiny…little…papercuts. Then she began to feel the pain…but it wasn't only on her ankle. And when they found her…the skin had been sliced off her entire body!"

"…That was probably the dumbest ghost story I've ever heard in my life," Mello snorted.

"Hey, if you'd have heard it when you were eight years old, you would probably have been pretty freaked out, too!" Matt retorted.

"But, come on! A monster made of paper? That paper-cuts your skin off?"

"An interesting theory," Near mused. "However, I highly doubt such a creature could exist in real life."

I glanced at Olivia. "You okay?" I asked. She looked pretty pale.

"S-sorry. I have this…thing…about skin getting peeled off," she muttered.

Mello sneered. "Come on! You help L take down Kira, a mass murderer, and you're telling me you get freaked out by a little ghost story?!"

Olivia's eyes flashed. "Hey, when I was in middle school, my friend had an accident with some machinery in woodworking class, and she got all the skin ripped off her finger, so, yeah, I'm a little traumatized, okay?"

There was a sudden silence in the room.

"You judge too quickly, Mello," Near murmured, glancing sympathetically at Olivia. She gave Near a small smile in return, briefly leaning against his arm.

Mello's face turned red. "…I'm not going to sit here and be criticized," he snarled, jumping to his feet and stalking out of the room. Matt gave him a stricken look, then quickly followed.

"Well…I guess it's time for bed?" I offered, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I believe it is." Near rose to his feet, offering his hand to Olivia. She took it as she stood, and I pretended not to notice that they held on a little longer than necessary.

"Goodnight…Olivia."

"…'Night, Near."

_Seriously, though, you okay? _I asked as Near left the library.

_**I'll be fine. Let's…let's just get back to our room**_, she replied, a little shaken.

The halls of Whammy's House were deserted; our footfalls echoed hauntingly along the corridors, adding to our already-unsettled moods.

_**I guess everyone else is in bed already…I didn't realize how late it was**_, Olivia thought.

_Yeah…although, we did get started pretty late…_

_**Hmm…What was that?**_ Olivia stopped suddenly, eyes wide.

_What was what? _

_**I just heard something…**_

I paused for a minute. _I don't hear anything…what did it sound like?_

_**A…growl…**_

_It was probably one of the kids playing video games, or something…_

_**Yeah…maybe…**_

We started walking again, but we had only taken a few steps before Olivia stopped again.

_**Okay, that was NOT a video game.**_

_Olivia…_

_**Jay, I'm being serious! And I'm not imagining things, either, I-**_

A faint noise came from behind us, and Olivia instantly cut off her thought. We both listened intently for a moment, and the noise came again, louder this time. It was a growl, incredibly menacing and deep, with an odd echoing quality that made the hairs rise on my arms.

_**Do you hear it now?! **_Olivia gave me an anxious look.

_I…that's…what the heck is that?!_

We both turned to look behind us. At first, the hallway was empty, but after a few seconds a dark shape appeared out of thin air, without warning, at the end of the corridor. It was a giant spectral dog, with glowing white eyes, and as it stared at us it let out a thunderous snarl. In disbelief and terror, I stared at the monster, almost afraid to move. Then the dog broke into a sprint, moving towards us at impossible speeds.

_**We should run.**_

_Yeah. Good idea. _

I had never run faster in my life. Olivia and I raced along the hallways, sheer terror propelling us forward. As we turned from corridor to corridor, we could hear the dog bouncing off the walls behind us, unable to take the sharp corners. My heart beat loudly in my ears, and my breath came in heaving gasps, but I didn't break stride for a moment. Olivia ran a few paces ahead of me, years of track lending wings to her feet.

The hallway ahead of us divided in two, and I sent a quick thought to Olivia.

_Split up! You take the left turn, I'll go right!_

_**But, Jay-!**_

_Just do it! And call Abo!_

We took our turns, and the dog slammed forcefully into the wall, letting out a high-pitched yelp of pain. The force of the hit sent shock waves through the floor, making me stumble. I took a quick look behind me, and saw that the dog had righted itself. It looked up at me, letting out another menacing growl before it gave chase.

_Olivia, it's coming after me- get help!_

_**Okay! Jay- oh my god- please be safe!**_

_Don't worry about me- just go! _

_**Abo knows what's going on- he's trying to reach Watari and L. Hang on! **_

I turned a tight corner, and ran into an obstacle, falling heavily to the floor.

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!"

"M-Mello?!" I gasped, struggling to my feet.

"Yeah. Why are you running around, it's the middle of the-"

"Dog-" I managed to gasp.

"Dog…? What?"

I heard a loud thud as the monster hit the wall next to us as. Mello started, staring at the beast in horrified awe.

"What the…?"

"Run." I grabbed Mello's hand, pulling him along as the dog shook its head, dazed by the impact.

"What-the-hell-is-that?!" Mello shouted.

"I…don't know! But it's not…friendly!" I managed to huff back.

"How did it get in here?!"

"No…idea! It just…was there, it…appeared…"

"Are you saying this thing just…materialized?!"

Another impact against the wall, closer this time. I pushed myself to go faster, ignoring the protests of my legs and lungs. Ahead, two figures rounded the bend- Olivia and Near.

"_Get out of here! Run!" _I screamed at them with both my voice and my mind. Olivia turned, but Near grabbed her hand, holding her in place.

"What are you doing?!" Olivia pulled at Near's hand. "We have to go!"

"Olivia, do you trust me?"

She met Near's eyes. "What…but…?"

"Do you trust me?"

Her expression settled. "Yes."

"Then don't move."

Mello hurtled past the pair, continuing to sprint down the corridor while I stopped next to Olivia.

"Come on! Do you want to die?!" He yelled at us.

"Why…aren't you running?!" I gasped.

"It isn't real," Near murmured, facing the charging hound head-on. Olivia glanced at me before stepping to Near's side, taking his hand in hers.

I stood in the hallway, torn between self-preservation and faith. I glanced up, then made my decision. Pushing away my fear, I moved to stand by Olivia, taking her other hand as the hound came ever closer.

"What are you _doing_?!" Mello cried from the sidelines. "You're going to-"

The dog pounced, hundreds of pounds of fur and muscle hurtling towards us. I braced myself, closing my eyes, but refusing to move from my spot.

The impact never came. I opened my eyes to see that the dog had vanished, leaving behind no mark of its existence. The only evidence of the chase was my ragged breathing and aching legs.

"It…it's gone…" Olivia gasped, hand trembling in mine.

"What happened?"

A cacophony of footsteps interrupted our thoughts, and we turned to see Abo, Watari, and L walking calmly towards us.

"L…did you see…?" Mello stepped forward, eyebrows furrowed as he noticed the laid-back pace of the group. "What…?"

"It's all right, everyone," Watari announced, rushing forward to make sure nobody was hurt.

"The dog was a hologram. We've been experimenting with it as a means of security; if any danger should enter the building, it would activate and scare the threat away. Shock generators were also installed in the walls to heighten the reality of the illusion- that's why it seemed like the dog was hitting the walls," L explained.

"Wha…why didn't you tell anyone about it?!" Mello growled.

"There was always a possibility of someone letting slip the holograph's nature…it was never real- it couldn't have harmed you."

As L spoke, his gaze drifted over all of us, in turn, except for me.

I found my voice. "If the dog was meant for security, then why was it attacking me and Olivia?"

L didn't meet my gaze. "There was a problem with the program, a glitch…somehow, it recognized that there was a threat within the building…it shouldn't have happened, since it is programmed to recognize all the inhabitants of Whammy's House, including yourselves…"

"We've shut down the program for now, and we'll have some experts take a look at it in the morning," Abo reassured us.

"In the meantime, I suggest you all get some rest…I apologize for the scare," L allowed, stalking off back down the hallway.

Mello let out a heavy breath, then stormed away, apparently too furious even for words.

"If you wish, we can escort you back to your rooms," Watari offered.

"No…I think we'll be okay, now…" Olivia mumbled, still visibly shaken as she clenched Near's arm.

"I'll go with them," Abo said.

As we headed back towards our rooms, I shot a curious look at Near.

"How did you know that the dog wasn't real?" I asked.

Near glanced at me. "I noticed the projectors along the wall…"

"What about you, Jay? You…you could have run…" Olivia pointed out.

I smiled. "No…I didn't want to leave you behind…"

After Abo and Near had left, Olivia and I settled down into our beds, wrapping our sheets protectively around us. My heart was still pounding, and I took deep breaths in order to calm myself, but I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep for a while.

_**Jay…**_

_Yeah?_

_**I know you said you didn't want to leave me behind…but was there something else? How did you know you'd be safe if you stayed?**_

…_There was a camera on the wall. I knew Watari or L had to be watching us, and I knew that neither of them would let us get hurt…and I was right, right?_

_**Yeah…**_

Something about that scene, where L had explained about the hologram, suddenly filled me with uneasiness. Confused, I tried to remember anything unusual about the conversation, anything that would have made me uneasy. Then I realized.

L hadn't looked at me once.

**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Sorry about the long wait- had a lot of things going on, exams, getting sick, all that good stuff- but, don't worry! I'm not giving up on this story yet! The next chapter should be up very soon, and please review if you have time! **


	32. In a Tree

Olivia's POV

I poked my head around the library's doorframe, inspecting the room beyond. The familiar smell of books made my nose twitch as it drafted towards me. My eyes darted from one side of the library to the other before fastening on Near. He was, as usual, in his white pajamas, putting together a puzzle on the floor behind a nearby couch. Deep in concentration, he didn't even notice as I stepped into the doorway.

"You can come in, Olivia," Near murmured, snapping a puzzle piece into its rightful place.

_Oops…maybe he did notice…_With a shrug, I stepped into the library, folding my arms in front of me.

"Near?"

"Yes, what is it?" Near asked patiently.

"How long has it been since you were outside?"

Near blinked. "Outside?"

"Yeah. Outside," I confirmed, a small smile appearing on my face. "You know…trees and grass…and birds…"

Near paused to think. "I believe it's been about…six months, twenty days, and two hours."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Well, that settles it," I grinned. "Right now, you're coming on a walk with me. Outside."

Near looked up innocently. "I am?"

"Yes, you are."

"When did we decide this?"

"About two seconds ago."

"Olivia, I don't think-"

"Oh, come on!" I interrupted. "There isn't a cloud in the sky, it's the perfect temperature, and you _want_ to stay indoors? I mean, it's like Mother Nature's almost _begging_ us to come out and enjoy the weather!"

"Olivia, I-"

"_Plus_Mello and Matt went into town today, so there'll be no-one bothering us!"

"…Perhaps I should get some shoes on, first?"

I turned to look at him, my mouth dropping open. "…Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh…I just thought that it would be a lot harder convincing you than it actually was," I said quietly.

Near shrugged, rising up off the floor. I blinked; Near's newfound height was still hard for me to get used to. "I'll meet you near the entrance after I find my shoes…"

He pushed past me, not meeting my eyes.

After waiting by the front doors for several minutes, Near joined me, feet clad in a pair of white tennis shoes. I surreptitiously checked Near's feet, and was unsurprised to find that he wasn't wearing socks.

"Well, then…shall we go?" I smiled.

Near pulled the door open for me, stepping out into the rare sunlight.

"Where are we going?" Near asked as we walked down the stairs.

"I don't really know…around, I guess."

Near fell into pace beside me, the wind tousling his ivory hair. I shivered as the wind passed over my skin, raising goose bumps along my arms. _Aargh, why did I wear short sleeves?_I rubbed my hands against my forearms to take the chill off. Near noticed my discomfort.

"Should we go back in?"

"No, I'm fine…" I laughed softly at myself, shaking my head. "It's not that bad."

"If we move into the woods, the trees will serve as a buffer for the wind. It might be warmer there," Near pointed out.

"All right, just don't get us lost." I joked, following him into the forest.

Near followed a twisting, unmarked path through the trees, which grew steadily rockier the farther we went. I followed a few steps behind him, hoping that he knew where he was going and trying not to sprain my ankle. After a few minutes in the forest, I began to notice that the air had lost some of its chill. _He was right…of course,_I thought to myself.

"Hey, Near…do you have any idea where we are? Because, I'm pretty much lost, right now…"

"I know exactly where we are."

"You do?" I found that pretty hard to believe. As far as I knew, Near spent all of his time _inside_, not out here in the woods.

"I used to come here all the time," he stated matter-of-factly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Near nodded at me before moved effortlessly over a large, fallen tree that crossed our path. I scrambled up the side of it, pausing briefly at the top, panting slightly from the hike. In that instant, a violent gust of wind pushed me backward, and I teetered on the log for a few seconds, my arms pin wheeling wildly as I struggled to regain my balance. Then, just when it seemed as though I was about to fall, a hand wrapped itself around my waist, catching me as I toppled backward.

"Are you all right?"

My heart still pounding from the near-fall, I looked up into Near's face. His face was blank, but his eyes radiated deep concern. I managed to nod, planting both feet firmly on the bark of the tree.

"Thanks," I murmured, my cheeks turning red as I realized that Near's hand had not moved from my waist. Near seemed to realize this as well, for he quickly backed away, averting his eyes as he jumped down to the forest floor. My skin tingled where his hand had been.

"Shall we keep moving?" Near offered up his hand, helping me from the top of the fallen log.

"Sure," I said diplomatically, ignoring the sudden flutter in my chest as his hand touched mine. "But, where are we going?"

Near shrugged, then led the way down the sloping path. With a sigh, I followed him.

After a few more minutes of walking, Near suddenly stopped, turning to face me. I paused, eyeing him confusedly.

"Are we here?"

"Yes." Near watched me as I observed the patch of woods we had blundered into. It was unremarkable; it looked the same as every other bit of forest we had marched through. I shook my head.

"I don't-" I cut myself off, cocking my head to one side. "Do you hear that?"

Near shrugged blankly. "Hear what?"

Without responding, I stepped forward, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Near looked on, watching me step across a fallen branch. As I stepped around a large boulder beyond the brush, it came into view. I blinked in shock, my lips curving upward. It was a tiny, natural spring that bubbled up happily from beneath the earth. Minute, brilliant green seedlings surrounded its hollow, a patch of green in the otherwise brown forest floor. Rushing forward, I crouched by the spring, staring into the clear, sparkling water.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, dipping my hand into the cool stream that trickled from the spring. I was aware of Near kneeling beside me, and I turned my head to look at him, eyes shining.

"How did you find this?" I asked, my voice laced with wonder.

"When I was younger, before Whammy realized my full potential, I enjoyed exploring the grounds around the orphanage. First, it was the cliffs near the beach…then the farm fields to the west…then the forest. One day, I simply stumbled upon this spring during one of my 'expeditions.' After that, this was always one of my favorite places to come if I needed some space to think," Near explained, staring into the depths of the water.

"I understand." I smiled, unable to picture a young Near tromping through the woods. "The sound of the water really _is_ calming…So, what happened when Whammy realized your potential?"

Near's shrugged. "I realized that, in order to become L's successor, I had to focus on developing my mental talents while I was still young. So, I confined myself to life indoors…" He trailed off.

"I'm glad I gave you a chance to visit this place again," I said softly, trailing my fingertips across the surface of the water as a sudden void formed in my chest.

Near shook his head. "That was not the reason that I agreed to come on this walk, Olivia."

I met his eyes, stunned. _Can he read my mind?_"Then, what was?"

"Well, I wanted to spend more time with you. When you arrived in the library, I was debating on how to achieve that."

I blinked, the void in my chest vanishing in an instant at Near's unusually emotional words. "Really?"

"Yes."

A sudden smile graced my lips. "Well, that's…really sweet of you, Near."

I bowed my head, showing a sudden fascination with a pebble near my feet as my cheeks burned.

"The sun looks like it's about to set; we should probably start heading back soon," Near pointed out.

"Right." I stood, taking one last look at the spring before heading off into the woods.

"Olivia?"

I turned around. "Yeah?"

"You're going the wrong way." Near pointed in the correct direction.

"Oh." My cheeks burned as I reversed my course. "Well, I was going to go that way…after I went this way…"

"Of course you were," Near acquiesced, then followed close behind me.

We started back up the rocky path, and after a few minutes of climbing my hamstrings and quads were aching in protest. Thankfully, the path soon leveled out, though small stones still sporadically poked out of the forest floor.

"Hey, Near?" I began, looking up briefly from my feet. "Do you think-"

My sneaker caught on a stone, making me pitch forward violently. I sailed forward over the path, about to belly-flop the forest floor, when Near's hands caught me by the shoulders. I breathed a sigh of relief as he helped to steady me.

"I'm sorry…I don't know why I'm so clumsy today. I mean, first the log, and now a rock…" My apology trailed off as I looked up at my companion. Near's face was inches from my own; I could feel his breath on my skin. His dark eyes were swirling with intense emotion, drawing me closer. My heart fluttered in my throat; I could feel my pulse racing inside my lips and neck. He watched me for a few seconds, gauging my reaction before moving closer. I didn't move, staying perfectly still. When he came so close that there could be no doubt as to what he was about to do, I allowed my eyes to flutter shut. There was a pause, and then his lips pressed themselves softly against mine.

The rush of emotion was incredible; it seemed as though my heart had stopped. I returned the kiss, bringing my arms up and wrapping them around Near's torso as he pulled me closer. One of my hands found the back of Near's hairline, and my fingers intertwined themselves with strands of his hair. Our noses rubbed against each other as we broke apart, each gasping for air. My eyes snapped open, just in time to see that a smile- a real smile- had snuck its way onto Near's face.

I couldn't help but return it.

**Author's Note: O.O Wow…that was my first-ever romance scene…Hope you liked it! Don't forget to Review and tell me what you think! XD**


	33. Concerns

Jay's POV

_Look, I'm telling you, he's avoiding me!_

_**Maybe you're just imagining things.**_

_I'm not imagining _this.

_**Well, why would L try to avoid you?**_

_That's what I'm trying to figure out!_

Olivia and I strolled through the corridors of Whammy's house, deep in intense telepathic conversation. Several groups of laughing kids raced by us, desperately trying to beat each other outside. Snow floated softly past the darkening sky in the long, arched windows to our right, casting vague shadows on the carpeted floor. I huffed through my nose, frustrated that Olivia didn't understand my problem.

_Let me try to explain this one more time. First off, L doesn't even look at me anymore, let alone talk to me. And, when I try to corner him to ask what the problem is, he always slips away before I can catch him!_

_**Well, I don't think it's you that's causing the problem. I mean, hasn't he been a little bit reclusive in general lately? Maybe that's what you're picking up on.**_

_True, but at least he actually acknowledges_your _existence! I mean, when I'm there, it's like I'm invisible or something._

I paused, glancing out the window musingly. _I don't know what happened. I thought…I thought we could be friends, at least, but now…I don't know. If he's going to keep on acting like this, then what's the point? I know he's just going to ignore me if I try to approach him._

_**Don't think like that! **_Olivia admonished. _**Maybe he just doesn't like Christmas, or something. It **_**is **_**coming up in a few days…**_

_Who _doesn't _like Christmas? Especially L, with all of the sweets that he's going to get! No, I think there's something else that's bothering him._

_**Well, if you really want to get inside his head, I shouldn't be the one you talk to. Go see Watari or something.**_

I bit my lip, sensing disinterest in Olivia's tone. _Yeah, you're right. I just thought you might have something to say…you know, since you're my best friend and all…_

Without warning, Olivia spun to face me, wrapping her arms around me in a bear hug.

_**Jay, it's not that I don't care about this, it's just that I'm not the person who'll give you the best advice.**_

I breathed a heavy sigh, returning the hug. _I know…it's just that you seem to not want to spend time with me anymore, now that you and Near are together._

Olivia snorted, stepping back. _**Jay, I would never abandon you. Got that? Now, go talk to Watari, and I'll see you at dinner.**_

_Right._

With a passing smile, Olivia turned back the way we had come, her hair twisting in the air behind her like a flame. I shrugged, hopping down a narrow flight of stairs to the first floor. Turning the corner, I warily eyed the imposing pair of wooden doors on my left before knocking.

"Enter," a familiar voice called. My mouth twitched as I turned the handle, pushing the door inwards. Watari looked up from a newspaper he was reading, a flicker of surprise apparent in his eyes.

"Ah, Jay! Please, have a seat." He motioned to an empty chair in front of his desk as he folded his newspaper across the desk. I closed the door behind me and crossed the room, sinking into the plushy seat.

"Now, what can I do for you?"

"Well…" I gulped. Watari had a far more imposing presence when he was seated behind a monstrous desk like the one before me. "I'm sort of…worried about Ryuzaki."

Watari raised an eyebrow. "Worried? Why?"

"Well, he seems to be avoiding everyone lately, and I couldn't help wondering if something had happened. But, whenever I decide to try to talk to him about it, I can never find him."

Watari nodded slowly, his gaze growing unfocused as he pondered my words. I screwed up my courage, and blurted out, "Do you know why he's doing this?"

Watari's eyes shot up to meet mine. "Ryuzaki is in the midst of solving a very important case; it's understandable that he would want some time to himself to help him think."

I blinked. "I'm sorry…I didn't know. But, that still doesn't explain…" I trailed off.

"Explain what?"

I shifted in my seat. "It's just…he doesn't even acknowledge my existence anymore. I mean, he doesn't look me in the eyes, he doesn't talk to me, and he won't stick around if I'm in the same place that he is." I began to talk faster, my worries pouring out of me in a flood of words. "I don't know what happened. One day, he just stopped… I just…"

I paused, my throat threatening to close up on me. I fought it furiously. _I will _not _start sobbing like a lovesick schoolgirl! _I told myself, taking an even breath.

"Miss Jay, I think that the person you should be speaking to about this is Ryuzaki."

I looked up in shock. "What? But, how am I supposed to do that if he's avoiding me?"

"Let me handle that," Watari stated, a glimmer of humor in his eye. "Just go up to his room in about ten minutes; he should be there."

My shoulders slumped forward in relief. "Thank you so much," I grinned, standing up to leave.

"Not at all, my dear. It was my pleasure."

I turned to go, my hand on the door handle. A sudden thought hit me, and I paused, turning back. "Um…where exactly is Ryuzaki's room?"

"If you go out of your room, and take a right…two doors down," Watari smiled, reaching for a phone on his desk.

I nodded in thanks, stumbling out of the office. _All this time, and he was two doors down?_

My stomach began to churn as I scaled the stairs, returning to the second floor once more. _Why am I so nervous? _I asked myself, a vein in my head keeping time with my heart. _It's just L…right?_

Glancing out the window, I noticed that the sky was now completely black, the snow clouds blocking out the stars. My feet traced the now-familiar path to my room; I barely was aware of making the turns in the hallways. All too soon, I was standing before the second door on the right, my fingers twitching of their own accord. Taking a deep breath, I raised my trembling hand, rapping on the door with the back of my hand.

"Come in," L's voice called. I released a shaky breath, then turned the door knob, letting it swing silently inwards. The bedroom was simply furnished, with plush carpeting and dark curtains draping over the arched windows. L was crouched on a swivel chair, facing away from me and typing away franticly at a laptop computer. As I allowed the door to swing shut again, L closed the laptop, then turned to face me. His eyes flickered up to mine, a small flicker of surprise registering in his features.

"I see…" He muttered to himself, averting his eyes to the floor. "Can I help you?"

"Bloody hell," I swore, my temper flaring to life. "L, seriously! What is your problem? For your information, you have been avoiding me for _at least _five days now! You won't talk to me, you won't even look at me…heck, I don't think we've even been in the same room for more than fifteen seconds at a time! Now, I know that you've been working on a case, and I can understand why you might want some time to yourself. But, for god's sake, that doesn't give you the right to pretend like your friend doesn't even exist! Especially a friend who just saved your life not too long ago! And you have the nerve to say, 'can I help you?'"

I paused for a reply, fuming, my hands clenching into fists. When I received none, I began to get worried. My anger quickly dissipated, and I took a shy step in L's direction. "Okay…Now I know something's wrong. Can you at least give me a hint as to what it is? Because, I really can't understand your thought process right now…"

L blinked, keeping his eyes averted from my face. I let out a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. "So, right now the message that I'm getting is that you want nothing to do with me from now on. Well, I'm here to tell you that…" I gulped. "If you want to end this friendship, the least you can do is tell me what happened to make you want to abandon me! I don't know what I did wrong! Did I offend you in some way? Did I fail some secret test that you give to every newcomer?"

I paused, forcing myself to calm down. "I just don't know what made you hate me."

This got a reaction. L's eyes immediately locked with mine, and he jumped from his seat to the floor, his bare feet leaving imprints in the deep carpet.

"You think…I hate you?"

I laughed weakly, brushing my bangs back. "You were avoiding me; what else was I supposed to think?" _This is good, _I thought. _He's actually talking to me, now._

L slowly approached me, his feet making no noise as they crushed the carpet beneath them. "I do not hate you, Jay-chan. Rather, quite the opposite…"

He stopped a few inches shy of bumping into me, resting his hands on my shoulders. I froze at the contact, a bizarre sensation racing through my chest.

_What is this…? _The feeling came from the very core of my being, a primal urge that I fought to ignore. My very soul was screaming at me to run, to hide from the man before me. It took every fiber of my being to keep from pulling away from the contact. Finally controlling myself, I looked up to meet L's gaze, my glasses briefly reflecting a red light from the laptop into his eyes.

"Jay-chan, if I were to be called away on another case, one that required my presence in another country, what would you do?"

"I…" I stuttered before composing myself. "I'd probably want to come with you…"

"Of course you would. And you'd use any means necessary to ensure that I'd agree to your proposal, wouldn't you?"

"Well, not _any _means…I do have a conscience, you know…" I managed to say.

L cocked his head to one side. "Regardless, you would somehow convince me to let you come; I have no doubt of that. But, once you had convinced me that first time, it would be no trouble for you to convince me again when the next case came up. Pretty soon, it would be routine for you to accompany me on my cases, as Watari does. Then, one day…a situation would arise where I may have to reveal myself to a criminal in order to capture him, as I did in the Kira investigation. And, of course, you would convince me to let you stay…"

"Okay, so suddenly I'm the world's best convincer?" I grinned in spite of myself.

"Hmm…Yes. Now please, let me continue," L stated, complete honesty in his voice. I was too stunned to reply, so L launched into his monologue once again.

"As I was saying…You would convince me to let you stay, thereby forcing me to put your own life in danger in order to capture the criminal. And then, when the day came to reveal the criminal, you would be there in the room. Of course you would be there; you'd be far too suspicious by then to let me trick you into leaving. And, of course, the criminal would panic, and try to escape through any means, even if it meant taking a hostage. And, even if the criminal has a brain the size of a fly, he will choose a hostage who looks as if she could not fight him off, who seems to have importance to the detective who is trying to capture him, someone who he knows the detective will not let die…"

L trailed off, looking at me expectantly.

"Me." I whispered, my eyes growing wide.

"You. And, even if I do give in and allow him to escape, there is no guarantee that he will not kill you just to spite me….about a thirty-four percent chance, one that I am not willing to live with."

"So…you were avoiding me so that our friendship would break apart, so that I wouldn't go with you on your cases, and I wouldn't ever have to put myself in danger, and I wouldn't ever get killed by a criminal that you're trying to capture…Right?"

"Yes, that's the gist of it."

"Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place? Geez, you had me thinking that I broke some taboo law or something…" I shook my head softly, laughing at myself. "How about this…If the time comes when you _do_need to reveal yourself to a criminal…I'll stay behind. Okay?"

L's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You'd agree to it that easily?"

"If it means keeping our friendship…Yes."

L's lips twitched upwards in a smile.

"But," I held up a finger, "that doesn't stop me from coming along any other time, all right? I'm not gonna miss _all_ the fun."

L sighed gruffly. "I suppose that's…acceptable. For now."

I rolled my eyes. "What do you mean, for now?"

Our conversation was interrupted by a loud _gong _echoing through the corridor.

"That'll be the dinner bell," I said, stepping back so that L's hands slid off my shoulders and breathing an inward sigh of relief. "I gotta go eat…You coming?"

"I…can't. I still have some work to do on this case…"

"Okay," I nodded. "I'll see you later, then…?"

I held my breath as L slowly blinked…then nodded. "Later."

I forced a grin onto my face as I stepped into the hallway, leaving L alone in his room.

As soon as the door closed behind me, the smile fell from my face, replaced by an expressionless mask. I started the long walk down to the mess hall, my mind buzzing frantically. _This is wrong, _I thought to myself. _This is very, very wrong. Why am I feeling this way? The last time I checked, my feelings toward L were the complete opposite of revulsion! What the heck happened? Did my feelings for him just…die, or something?_

_Ah, _a little voice in the back of my head whispered, _so now you're willing to admit that you really did have feelings for him? That's pathetic…you aren't even willing to acknowledge the feelings until you've lost them._

_No! _I shouted at it. _I haven't lost them! They're still there! They have to be! You can't just stop loving someone…can you?_

**Author's Note: And we are really catching up, aren't we?! For those of you who are new to this story, this is the final chapter of the edited version! Anything from this point on is completely new material, which means you won't find it on the unedited version at all. Thanks for sticking with me so long, guys! But, don't worry, I'm not stopping yet! Still got to resolve this whole Jay/L thing…and maybe a new story arc? But not until later! Until then, don't forget to review on your way out! **


	34. Determinations

_**Flashback**_

_L's POV_

"… _I…I guess I'm just worried…"_

"…_about Kira?"_

"_Yes." The girl's eyes mouth tightened. _

"_Jay-chan, I don't believe that you are the type of person that Kira would want to kill," he stated._

"_It's not my life that I'm worried about," she muttered, glancing down. _

We're getting close, _L thought, peering deeply into the glow of the _

_computer screen. _Just a few more days…perhaps a week…and this case will finally be over. Kira will face justice. And then…

_And then…he would return to Whammy's House. Wait for another case. Perhaps the next one would not be as draining…it had been many years since a case had taken so much effort from him. _

And what of Jay-chan and Olivia-chan? _He knew there was something- perhaps several somethings - that they were keeping from him…and yet, they had been helpful during the case…_Perhaps they will tell me once the case has concluded, _he thought. _In any case, I doubt any information they give me will help at this point. I already have a plan to draw out Kira, and once that plan is carried out…

_A streak of lightning briefly illuminated the sky outside, and the resulting thunder jolted L out of his thoughts. He looked up, watching the rain drip along the outside of the glass. Lightning flared again, revealing the outlines of skyscrapers against the stormy clouds. _

_A slight noise from behind him made L swivel around in his chair. He glanced around at the apparently- empty room. _That's odd, _he thought. _I could have sworn everyone else went to bed already…_ He stepped down from his crouched position, stretching his cramped legs as he headed in the direction of the disturbance. _

_The noise came again, and this time L was able to pinpoint the source easily. A curled-up form rested on one of the couches, occasionally letting out a slight sigh. A blanket was wrapped around the form, concealing the identity of the rogue sleeper, but that did not prevent L from noticing the pair of glasses resting on the nearby table._

"_Jay-chan?" L crept closer. "Are you awake?" _

_The girl did not respond, but continued to breathe deeply, despite her nose being squashed into the plush cushions of the sofa. L reached out a hand, gently shaking Jay's shoulder._

"_Jay-chan?" The girl let out a tiny noise of protest, but remained stubbornly asleep. _

_L let out a soft sigh. _She must be exhausted. But, I cannot allow her to sleep on the sofa, _he realized. _The best place for her now is in a bed.

"_Jay-chan," he muttered, leaning over the form of the sleeping girl, "I apologize for this, but it is the only way…" _

_Carrying Jay was not as difficult as L had thought it would be. Pushing the elevator buttons had been a slight challenge, but he had managed. _Let's me think…the most difficult thing will be to get the door to her room open, _L mused. The door to the elevator slid open, and L stepped out, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the darkened hallway. _

"_No…"Jay muttered. L looked down, blinking in surprise as the girl's body tensed. She was obviously still asleep, yet her jaw was clenched into an intense expression of fear. _A nightmare? _L realized. _

"_Jay-chan?" _

"_No!" Jay's voice grew panicked; she began to twitch. L stopped in the corridor, crouching close to the ground in case she squirmed from his arms. _

"_Jay-chan, wake up!" He shook her shoulders, but she either didn't feel it or was too distraught to care. Her breathing grew heavy, eyes clenched tightly shut._

"_No…please…L…" Ryuzaki's eyes widened as Jay spoke his name. "God, no…please…Kira…don't kill him!" _

"_Jay-chan, listen to me, I'm here, wake up!" _

"_No…no…" The girl's twitching lessened, reduced to shudders that wracked her entire body. She began to sob uncontrollably; without warning, she wrapped her arms around L's shoulders, burying her face in his shirt. _

"_Please…L…don't die…" Jay begged quietly. _

_L sat there a moment, frozen, as she continued to cry into his chest. Almost without him willing it, his arms moved to return the embrace. He touched her lightly at first, then pulled her in tightly, briefly closing his eyes._

"_I am not going to die, Jay-chan," he murmured. "I…I promise." _

_**End Flashback**_

Jay's POV

_You can't just stop loving someone…can you?_

I paced back and forth in my room, thoughts running in circles through my head. In my hand, I clutched a can of root beer from the stash I kept in the bedroom's refrigerator. I took sips from it regularly to calm me down, but it didn't seem to be having the same relaxing effect it normally had on me.

I had made it about halfway to the mess hall before turning back; somehow, I had lost my appetite, and I really didn't feel like seeing or talking to anyone, even Olivia.

_What is going on? _I thought, rubbing my arms in agitation. _L stops talking to me, and even stops looking at me for five whole days, and then, once he finally starts opening up to me again, I feel like he's a complete stranger? And, worse, like I should stay away from him? I may not be as smart as L is, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that something is wrong here. Something is very wrong. _

_But…is something wrong with L…or with me? _

I thought back to my conversation with L, when he had put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me, really looked at me, for the first time in days. I had felt a sensation of revulsion so strong that it had taken nearly all my strength not to show it.

_But, before that…_I remembered the way L had acted during the case, his little quirks and sayings. _So many memories…_

"_I can neither confirm nor deny your hypothesis…__Light-kun believes that having another female in the room will make Misa-chan feel more comfortable…I'll give you this strawberry if you keep it a secret…In return, you will stop worrying about Kira…" _

As I went over the events in my head, I realized that I had been standing in the middle of the room, stupidly staring at nothing and grinning to myself.

_Ahh! What am I doing?! Stopit, stopit, stopit! _I shook my head furiously from side to side. _I don't have any time to daydre…oh._

_Wait. _

_These feelings…are they…_

I shook my head. _No. No, I'm just remembering good times with my friend. That's all. _

The little voice in the back of my head came to the surface. _Ha! Just to be expected, isn't it? As soon as you loose the feelings you acknowledge them, but when they come back…oh, no, we're just _friends,_ aren't we? _

_Okay, that's it, _I thought. _Why are you even freaking here?! Who am I talking to? Just…go away! _

The voice receded, still laughing. I sat down on the bed, setting my hand on my chin. _…I guess there is a point, there…_I sighed. _But, I'll think about it some other time. What I realized is…whether they are feelings of friendship or…love…I definitely had them. Definitely. And I still do. Otherwise, I would have felt revulsion when I thought of L during the case…right?_

_So the problem…isn't with me…so it has to be with L. Something is going on with him. So, what is it? _

I glanced out the window at the steadily falling snow, eyes flashing. _I'll have to find out myself. It doesn't sound like Watari's noticed anything suspicious…and neither Near or Mello have mentioned anything…but, then again, L does kind of prefer to keep his distance from the Whammy kids. So they probably don't know him as well…_

_Wait. What about Abo…well, he's the one who created L, isn't he? I should probably ask him about it. _

Resolved, I quickly got up from the bed and left the room, hurrying to Abo's room on the other side of the hallway. I knocked two times on the door, waiting nervously outside, but nobody answered. I took a long swig of root beer.

_Dang it, _I realized. _He must be eating in the mess hall with everyone else. _I let out an angry huff, resting my head against the cool wooden door.

"Jay?" I looked up to see Abo approaching from further down the hallway. "What's going on? You look a little pale…"

"Um…is it okay if I talk to you for a sec?" I asked, shifting my weight restlessly.

"Of course…come on in," Abo nodded, opening the door for me. I settled onto the side of the bed, clutching my can, while Abo closed the door behind him hopped up onto a nearby chair. His sitting style was so much like L's that it made me pause for a moment.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

I glanced up at Abo. I still didn't know him that well- he was more Olivia's friend than mine- so I was a little shy around him. Or maybe I was star struck; after all, it's not every day that you get to talk with the author of your favorite series.

I took a deep breath. "It's okay to talk in here, right? I mean…you don't think…there are any hidden cameras or anything in here, do you?"

Abo stared at me, lowering his head a few inches before bursting out laughing. "Hidden…what? Why would you think _that_?"

"Oh…sorry…I guess L's made me paranoid about that kind of thing," I blushed.

"No, no, it's perfectly all right. I was just surprised, that's all…" Abo shook his head, still chuckling. "I can assure you that this room is completely secure. You can talk about whatever you want in here."

"Okay…I think there's something wrong with L."

"Something wrong with…go on," Abo said, leaning in closer. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"Well…the past five days or so…he's been completely avoiding me. He won't talk to me, or even look at me, and would leave the room whenever I came in. I talked to Watari about it and he said that L's on a case right now…so I actually went and talked to L. But then, when I was talking to him…I got this really weird feeling, like I was scared of him, or something…do you know what's wrong?"

"Hmm…well, L can get pretty intense when it comes to cases, as you know…maybe what you felt was his determination to put an end to the case," Abo suggested.

"Yeah…maybe…but, I think this was different. It felt like…like he was dangerous. I can't explain it any more than that, I'm sorry," I apologized.

"Dangerous?" Abo pondered my words for a few minutes. "Hm…maybe you picked up on L's anger and frustration towards the case. After all, you are telepathic now. Maybe that makes you more sensitive towards other's emotions now than you were before."

I put on an expression of surprise. "You may be right. Thanks, Abo. I feel much better now."

_He's not getting it, _I thought to myself. _He thinks it's L's emotions towards the case, but what I felt…it didn't seem like the feelings were focused on the case, they were more…general. Like he himself was a dangerous person…and Olivia didn't think anything was wrong, either…that's it. I'm going to have to investigate this myself. _

**Author's Note: Hello! Hope you enjoyed the first TRULY new chapter! It amazes me…after all this time I can't spell weird…I always spell it wierd, and the spellchecker corrects it…ha! I need to go back to third grade…**

**Anyways…please comment and tell me what you thought! I'm going to be heading overseas for spring break, so don't expect an update for a few weeks…I'm actually going to London! Very excited! XD**


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